Hong Kong: Home quarantine scheme launched The StayHomeSafe Scheme was launched today, under which COVID-19 patients' close contacts and household members of those close contacts who are deemed appropriate after assessment will be arranged to undergo home quarantine for 14 days and four days respectively. The Centre for Health Protection explained that factors including the suitability of each individual's dwelling place for quarantine, the risk level of those confining at the same place and their physical condition will be taken into consideration during the assessment. Those who need to undergo home quarantine must stay in their dwelling place and wear an electronic wristband throughout the quarantine period. They should also regularly monitor their physical conditions, including checking their body temperature twice daily and conducting regular virus tests on their own on specified dates. As at noon, the centre has issued home quarantine orders to 38 people, involving 17 households. Half of them are COVID-19 patients' close contacts, while the other half are household members of those close contacts. The public is encouraged to offer support and provide supplies to their relatives or friends subject to home quarantine. Property management companies are also urged to help deliver items to residents under home quarantine. The centre has drawn up infection control guidelines for such companies to follow to avoid transmitting the virus. This story has been published on: 2022-02-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Chinese company motivates local employees in Sierra Leone 17:48, February 08, 2022 By Abu Bakarr Kargbo ( People's Daily Online (Photo/Abu Bakarr Kargbo) A Chinese Company operating in Sierra Leone, China Railway Seventh Group (SL) Co., Ltd (CRSG) has been highly acclaimed by its local employees and local authorities during its Annual Commendation Meeting for Employee of the Year. In attendance were 134 dedicated staff members, representing the civil engineering, mining, trade, administration, security and support staff units, to witness their colleagues being commended for excellent service. The management presented the winners with certificates of honor and prizes such as cash, rice, cooking oil and milk powder. In addition to the awards for outstanding managers and employees, CRSG also distributed awards for outstanding contributions; advanced employees in safe production; active employees; scholarships for outstanding managers; and outstanding work teams. This gesture goes to illustrate to all employees that their long term future lies with CRSG, as well as to foster a healthy, positive and harmonious working environment for all. The company appreciates and values those employees that have made outstanding contributions to CRSG. As a result, CRSG seeks to incentivize these hardworking employees by supporting their families and their children's education. (Photo/Abu Bakarr Kargbo) This year, the company has set up scholarships to provide groundbreaking educational support for the children of employees who make outstanding contributions. This scholarship ensures employees experience the warmth and care of the company, but also eases employees' family burdens. Alhassan Bangura, representative of the winning employees, said in his speech: "I am very grateful to China Railway Seventh Group for providing quality jobs for its employees in Sierra Leone. It can help employees' families live a better life. I am proud to be a member of management staff within CRSG. This recognition provides encouragement for employees and can make us more motivated and passionate in executing our functions. I will encourage other employees to learn the company's regulations, improve our personal skills and enhance the overall quality of our work, so as to contribute to the better, faster and stronger development of this company." For more than 10 years, CRSG has been committed to building a culture of mutual respect and understanding and siblinghood among expatriate and national employees by promoting the development of overseas markets and localization management. CRSG has provided thousands of job opportunities, trained a number of highly skilled staff and management personnel. The company also pays attention to the development and growth of employees, cares for their families, helps employees in time of need and tries its best to protect employees during public health emergencies such as the Ebola and COVID-19 epidemics. CRSG actively explores localization and cross-cultural management of foreign employees and has found a way of overseas operation and development that suits its own business model and meets the common vision of the company and employees. (Photo/Abu Bakarr Kargbo) It is reported that CRSG has formed a perfect staff incentive system of summary, evaluation, selection and commendation and will hold commendation ceremony annually. This will help raise the enthusiasm of employees and strengthen communication, interaction and team cohesion. "The company appreciates all staff for your hard work and dedication in 2021. We hope that all recipients of the awards will cherish the honor, maintain an excellent working attitude and drive other staff to emulate their achievements that will ultimately result in the development of the company." (Photo/Abu Bakarr Kargbo) "By constantly upgrading the skills of employees and promoting hard work and dedication, CRSG will continue to focus on providing high quality projects and professional services to the people and country of Sierra Leone and pay more attention to the technical training and capacity building of local staff. A famous saying expressed this view: God helps those who help themselves. At the same time, CRSG will continue to carry forward the family culture as the core of the companys culture, and create a good familial atmosphere and play an important role in further deepening the traditional friendship and partnership between China and Sierra Leone," said the General Manager of CRSG. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Marylands highest court heard arguments Tuesday on whether Washington, D.C., sniper Lee Boyd Malvos six life sentences without the possibility of parole should be reconsidered because of a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision barring mandatory life sentences for juveniles. Kiran Iyer, a Maryland public defender, argued that life without parole sentences for Malvo, who was 17 at the time of the shootings that terrorized the region, should be reconsidered in light of the Supreme Court ruling. He also contends his client should benefit from Marylands new law enabling prisoners convicted as juveniles to seek release once theyve served at least 20 years. Advertisement Malvo and his mentor, John Allen Muhammad, then 41, shot people in Virginia, Maryland and Washington as they pumped gas, loaded packages into their cars and went about their everyday business during a three-week period in 2002. Muhammad was sentenced to death and was executed in Virginia in 2009. Advertisement This photo provided by the Virginia Department of Corrections shows Washington, D.C.-area sniper Lee Boyd Malvo. Maryland's highest court heard arguments Tuesday on whether Malvo's six life sentences without the possibility of parole should be reconsidered because of a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision barring mandatory life sentences for juveniles. (Virginia Department of Corrections via AP) (AP) Iyer argued Tuesday before the Maryland Court of Appeals that a judge failed to properly consider Malvos youth during sentencing. He also contended that it was clear that the judge found Malvo was capable of change, which takes on added significance under changes in the law. The bottom line with the sentencing is that Malvos corrigibility was undisputed. It just had no legal significance in 2006, Iyer said. It has legal significance now. It means that his sentences are excessive. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Carrie Williams, an assistant attorney general for the state of Maryland, noted that Malvo is incarcerated in Virginia and would first have to be paroled from that state. She said he is serving four life sentences there, for three murders and one attempted murder. Malvo also has been sentenced to six separate life without parole sentences in Maryland for killing six people. While the sentencing judge may have acknowledged change and growth in Malvo, he did not acknowledge the amount of change or growth that would be required or even the capacity for the amount of change or growth that would be required to release someone who had killed six separate people over a 22-day crime spree back into society, Williams said. [ Marylands highest court to take up case of Beltway sniper Lee Boyd Malvo ] Mr. Malvo had multiple opportunities to reflect upon each one of his 10 bad decisions, and the bad decisions that have not been prosecuted but to which Mr. Malvo has confessed, Williams said. The Court of Appeals did not issue a ruling Tuesday. It could take months for a decision. The 2012 U.S. Supreme Court Miller v. Alabama ruling stated that life sentences for defendants 17 and younger should be barred for all but the rarest of juvenile offenders, those whose crimes reflect permanent incorrigibility. Advertisement In addition, Marylands General Assembly abolished life without parole for youths, overriding a veto by Gov. Larry Hogan last year. Virginia passed similar legislation last year. That change prompted Malvo to drop a legal appeal that had gone to the Supreme Court to determine whether his life sentence should be rescinded. Nine Carroll County residents died this week due to COVID-19, according to county health department data, even as local hospitals are finally experiencing some relief in the number of cases they are treating since the height of the latest case surge. As of Tuesday, Carroll Hospital had 147 total patients, 11 of whom had tested positive for COVID-19. In the Critical Care Unit, 10 patients were being cared for, one of whom is COVID positive. Advertisement The hospital reported that seven of the 11 patients with COVID-19 had not been vaccinated. We are very pleased that our number of COVID patients is significantly lower than it was a few weeks ago, hospital president Garrett Hoover said on Tuesday. It has provided our staff with some relief. Advertisement Hoover said the decrease in caseload has allowed the hospital to reopen outpatient services that had been temporarily closed, as well as fully ramp up elective surgeries. We have seen many ups and downs with the pandemic, so we strongly urge people to continue taking the proper precautions to limit the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing masks in public places and social distancing, Hoover said. Carroll Countys positivity rate was 9.97% as of Tuesday, a decrease from last week but still a level of high transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 291 new positive COVID-19 cases reported in Carroll County for the week ending on Tuesday. The countys overall case count to date is 20,170. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > The Carroll County Health Department offers a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at the Agriculture Center in Westminster, where they are able to offer about 280 tests each day. Tests at the Ag Center do not require an appointment. The drive-thru site is open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays. For updated information, visit cchd.maryland.gov/covidtesting or call 410-876-4848. The health department is also hosting vaccination clinics at Carroll Community College for residents age 12 and older. Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccinations for COVID-19 are available. Registration is at https://cchd.maryland.gov/registration-links/. Clinics at the college will be held 3:30-7:30 p.m on Feb. 9, 16 and 17, 2-5 p.m. on Feb. 11, 3:30-7 p.m. on Feb 24 and 10 a.m. -1 p.m. on Feb 26. Advertisement In partnership with the health department, the Carroll County Public Library system has been distributing free COVID-19 home-test kits at branches and its headquarters. Those interested should check the library website at https://library.carr.org or call 410-386-4488 for current distribution details. Test kits also may be requested through the federal government online at covidtests.gov. One set of four tests is available per mailing address. If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 with an at-home test kit, the Maryland Department of Health is asking for results to be submitted to covidlink.maryland.gov/selfreport. Katherine Smith of Jarrettsville, a regular donor giving blood for the 34th time, is assisted by American Red Cross phlebotomist Tyeneisha Bell, during a blood drive at the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media) Harford County has felt the nationwide blood shortage in the countys two hospitals, UM Upper Chesapeake Medical Center and Harford Memorial Hospital, especially amid this recent COVID surge. It has been a challenge, said Fermin Barrueto, chief medical officer of University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake. Advertisement Barrueto said the shortage has caused his hospitals to better plan for surgeries that will require blood. It doesnt mean that we stopped them it just means that we really have to plan for them, he said. And sometimes we have said, It may be safer to do your surgery at another hospital, simply because we were concerned about the blood supply that we had here. Advertisement He said this was the first time since he took over as chief medical officer in 2016 that the hospital system had to reconsider a type of surgery to perform because of concerns over blood supply. Barreuto cited several reasons behind the shortage: problems with staffing among people who run blood drives, COVID restrictions and people getting COVID themselves. Its a confluence of all of those reasons that we are really imploring people to donate [blood] now, he said. A spokesperson for UMUCH said they have collected 448 pints of blood since October. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Ashley Henyan, communications director for the American Red Cross National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region, said the situation has been pretty dire for the past five months. The need, its just ongoing, she said. It never stops. She noted that 600 appointments in the region to donate blood have been cancelled since the beginning of January because some drives just had to cancel due to winter weather. However, Henyan said that in Harford County, the Red Cross is on track to meet its goal to collect a total of 420 pints of blood by the end of February. There are 11 Red Cross blood drives in the county for the remainder of the month, two of which are off-campus UMUCH blood drives. Advertisement Appointments are mostly full for February, but spots are still open for March to help meet the Red Cross goal of collecting a total of 600 pints from the county in March, Henyan said. If theres no appointments available right now, please still go to redcrossblood.org and look a couple of weeks out, even a month out or so and schedule that blood donation appointment, Henyan said, because the blood will still be needed at that time. Barreuto said the shortage has been across the board for all blood types, but Henyan noted that O negative blood is especially in demand because its the universal blood type and often used when someones blood type is unknown. Katherine Smith of Jarrettsville, a regular donor giving blood for the 34th time, is assisted by American Red Cross phlebotomist Tyeneisha Bell, during a blood drive at the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media) The American Red Cross runs a blood drive at the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company, with donors by appointment only, on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media) American Red Cross phlebotomist Catherine Harrison prespares the arm of Airville, Pa., resident Ericka Van Pelt during a blood drive at the Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Brian Krista/Baltimore Sun Media) The Harford County Sheriffs Office and American Red Cross are hosting a blood drive Thursday to honor Senior Deputy Patrick Dailey and Deputy First Class Mark Logsdon. The blood drive is being held on the sixth anniversary of the day Dailey and Logsdon were killed in the line of duty. Advertisement Both deputies were shot on Feb. 10, 2016, after responding to a call from a citizen regarding a suspicious person at the Panera Bread restaurant in Abindgon. Dailey was shot by the suspect as he spoke with him, while Logsdon died after a fatal shootout with the victim. The drive comes as Harford County hospitals report local blood shortages which aligns with the nationwide blood shortage during the recent COVID surge. Advertisement The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community, according to a news release issued by the Harford County Sheriffs Office and the American Red Cross. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime. The blood drive will be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at American Legion Post 17, 415 Edgewood Rd. Pre-registration is required and can be done by calling 1-800-733-2767. Donors can use RapidPass to begin their health history to shorten their wait time. For more information, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass. Rallying to support our local health care heroes was a major movement in spring of 2020 as the pandemic raged on. As months wore on, and daily grinds took back some degree of normalcy for the rest of us, those morale-boosting gestures dwindled. Lauren Lankford wants to make sure nurses know they are not forgotten. Advertisement Lankford, a Medfield resident, spearheaded an effort to show appreciation and encourage self-care and joy for nurses. She is joined by Towson resident Gail Robinson who stepped up to assist in this feel-good project. It began on a Friday in early January, when Lankford heard that a close friend, an ICU charge nurse, had a particularly challenging day. Lankford asked if there was some way she could help support her friend and other nurses. One answer was individually packaged snacks and treats. Advertisement Sweet handmade cards from kindergarteners were an adorable addition to a recent delivery of snacks and treats for local nurses. (Lauren Lankford) My snack stash is finite, but I have a porch, a car, and a community, Lankford said. Knowing that I could increase my impact, I shared the opportunity with surrounding areas on the Nextdoor app. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > She asked and neighbors delivered. By Tuesday evening, she had collected nearly 300 pounds of donated items; within two weeks, 500 pounds; now more than 700 pounds and counting fun, special deliveries to brighten the days of nurses who continue to stretch themselves to the limit. Lankford began with Baltimore City hospitals - Sinai, University of Maryland Medical Center downtown, Union Memorial emergency department, and Union Memorial ICU. Robinson took the reins for bringing donations to University of Maryland Saint Josephs Medical Center on Feb. 2 and Greater Baltimore Medical Center on Feb. 4. Soup cups, tuna salad packs, pasta cups, oatmeal, protein bars, chips, cookies and crackers have been a hit with ICU nurses at local hospitals. Other little items like Chapstick and face wipes are a blessing for freshening up when youve been wearing N95 masks all day. Cheerful things to look at for the nurses lounge were also requested, Lankford said. Childrens drawings and notes, these things are incredibly special parts of the deliveries. For me, the deepest moments are those that drop off a few items, or a handwritten thank you, and tearfully share the impact that health care workers have had on their lives. Im tasked with expressing this ineffable gratitude to worn-out health care workers who were just grateful to know they arent forgotten and that their communities are still here to support them. Lankford is grateful for the opportunity to share the outpouring of support and to spread happiness. She is tremendously thankful for the help of volunteers like Robinson. An Amazon wish list can be accessed at shorturl.at/bkBNP if any readers want to join their movement. Alternately, find inspiration in this and create your own acts of kindness! Its about acknowledging that these are humans going through an incredibly challenging time [a third year of trauma], Lankford said. We have the capacity to demonstrate that we are present to support them. We see what they are going through, we have their backs, and they arent alone in this. Scene outside Danville Court in Crofton after officers fatally shot a man who had injured an officer, according to police. Officers had responded to a domestic altercation. (Amy Davis) Marylands Office of the Attorney General has identified 20-year-old Dyonta Quarles Jr. as the man who was fatally shot in a Crofton home on Jan. 30 and J. Ricci as the Anne Arundel County police officer who shot Quarles. Ricci is a 3-year veteran with the department and assigned to the Bureau of Patrol according to a Wednesday news release. He has 11 years of law-enforcement experience. Advertisement The incident occurred about 4 a.m. when officers were called to the town house in the 900 block of Danville Court. A woman told 911 dispatchers that her adult son had assaulted her and was not letting her leave the home, Anne Arundel Police spokeswoman Lt. Jacklyn Davis said on Jan. 30. When officers arrived, they knocked on the locked front door, but there was no answer. The woman, who was still on the phone with dispatchers, asked that the officers force their way inside because she couldnt get to the front door, Davis said. Advertisement Officers then entered a locked third-floor bedroom and located the woman and Quarles. When officers asked Quarles to get on the ground, he complied, but when officers attempted to handcuff him, he fought back, Davis said. Officers used a Taser in an attempt to subdue Quarles, Davis said, but it was ineffective. During the struggle, Ricci fired his gun at Quarles, according to the release from Marylands Office of the Attorney General. Quarles was pronounced dead at the scene. During the Jan. 30 news conference on the shooting, Davis said the same officer who fired his weapon was injured in the incident and transported to an area trauma center. Police have not provided an update on Riccis condition or status with the department since the incident. Under a law that took effect in October that covers all deadly use of force by officers across the state, the Maryland Attorney Generals Office, with the help of Maryland State Police, will investigate the shooting. The Independent Investigations Division of the attorney generals office, which handles such cases, said Wednesday that it continues to investigate the circumstances of the fatal shooting. Former ABC News anchor Charles Gibson has essentially disappeared from public view since his 2009 retirement. But he's back now, prodded by his daughter Kate. The two are doing a podcast together on books and writing called The Book Case." The debut episode released Monday featured a conversation with Oprah Winfrey. The two will recommend books to read and interview authors, as well as make an effort to encourage young people to read more. Gibson said he wanted to cut the cord and not hang around following retirement, which he said he's enjoying. He says it's hard to watch the news these days because he's always editing it in his head. more >> China's prospects in 2022, what do economists say? Xinhua) 08:06, February 09, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- For China, the year 2021 was a milestone. Notable progress was made in high-quality development in the face of unexpected challenges and external uncertainties. It was also a fresh start. The country embarked on a new journey to build itself into a modern socialist country -- the Second Centenary Goal -- by the mid-21st century. Marching into the year 2022, will China sustain the momentum of economic growth? What are the policy priorities this year? What should be expected of China's capital market? Xinhua asked economists their opinions on hot topics concerning China's prospects. Here are the answers. Q1: How do you view the macroeconomic situation this year? Despite the triple pressure of shrinking demand, supply shocks and weakening expectations, China's economy will likely maintain steady growth momentum this year, said Liu Yuanchun, vice president of Renmin University of China. The country's economic growth potential is constantly strengthening with a dropping unemployment rate, generally stable price levels, stable and decreasing macro leverage ratios, enhanced scientific and technological innovations, ever-increasing international competitiveness, and comprehensively strengthening human capital, Liu added. China is well-prepared at the policy level to meet the challenges this year, said Peng Wensheng, chief analyst with the China International Capital Corporation. The country will probably see its economic growth accelerate in the second half of the year as there is a time lag between the introduction of policies and their effects, Peng said. Exports, foreign investment, green and high-tech investment, and the digital economy will continue to provide solid support for the high-quality development of China's economy, said Shen Jianguang, chief economist with JD.com. Q2: What will likely be this year's policy priorities? There is the apparent signal of ensuring stable growth from the authorities who will continue the prudent monetary policy and proactive fiscal policy, said Liu. Green investment, tax and fee cuts, and transfer payments will be focused on, in addition to traditional infrastructure, said Peng. He added that the government will be extremely cautious in introducing policies that have a tightening effect and there is less chance that regulatory policies will be introduced simultaneously in certain sectors. The platform economy supervision system, which emphasizes both regulation and development, will be gradually improved, contributing to the long-term, healthy development of the sector and boosting enterprise expectations and confidence, said Shen. Q3: What new investment opportunities will open up for all? China will aim at making breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovations and shoring up weak links in domestic industrial and supply chains, among others, which will need much investment, said Liu. Behind China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, rural vitalization and consumption upgrading are immense investment opportunities, said Peng. Shen noted the investment potential in new infrastructure and advanced manufacturing. Q4: How do you see the future development of the housing market? China will continue sticking to the principle of "housing is for living in, not for speculation," Shen said, adding that future policies will better coordinate stable growth and risk prevention in the sector. The government will adopt city-specific policies to boost the virtuous cycle and healthy development of the sector, he said. Peng said the default of individual property developers will not lead to systemic impacts, and risks are being defused in an orderly manner. Housing demand remains strong with many first-time home buyers and those who crave better living conditions, which forms the foundation for long-term, steady and sound development of the real estate sector, Liu said. Q5: What to expect of China's capital market as uncertainties mount in the global financial market? Despite uncertainties in the global financial market this year, China's capital market still has the foundation and conditions for sustainable and sound development, Liu said, quoting the steady growth momentum of the Chinese economy, more ample liquidity and continued reforms. The opportunities outweigh the challenges for China's capital market in 2022, said Peng. He said China's policies to stabilize growth are the opposite of policy tightening and downward cycle overseas. In the future, China's market conditions and institutional environment will further improve. The country's capital market will become more attractive and the yuan-denominated assets will become more valuable, said Shen. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Tests of a CTA bus route through Bridgeport and extended bus service through North Lawndale will become permanent, as agency President Dorval Carter called for changes to the way transit is funded. The CTA board on Wednesday approved making the two bus pilots permanent, extending service to areas that saw cuts years earlier. They also approved making permanent a pilot that realigned buses along Kedzie and California avenues on the West Side. Advertisement Neither of the bus service extensions met their target number of riders during the tests, but CTA officials recommended moving forward with the changes because they met equity goals, filling areas where there was a need for service, CTA Chief Planning Officer Michael Connelly told the board. Carter said transit funding was a key challenge in continuing to improve service in the areas where need has remained high throughout the pandemic, as essential workers and others who depend on transit have continued riding buses and trains. Advertisement If we are going to continue to be in a position to do the type of things that were doing here, recommending the type of changes that we know are necessary in a post-pandemic environment, we are going to have to have a conversation about the level of funding for public transportation, and how we want to operate, he said. A CTA bus drives through downtown Chicago on Aug. 20, 2021. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) CTA, like other Chicago-area public transit agencies, receives funding from a variety of sources, including sales taxes. Traditionally, at least 50% of funding across all the regional agencies must come from fares or other revenue the agencies generate themselves. During the pandemic, the agencies have also received federal funds they can use to keep trains and buses running. CTA routes with many riders have traditionally subsidized those with fewer riders, but the number of high-ridership routes and where those routes are located are likely to be different after the pandemic, Carter said. Carter said he would pursue changes to the way transit is funded to address those needs. Carter did not yet have specific suggestions, but it would involve looking at measures other than the number of riders and revenue to determine funding, CTA spokesman Brian Steele said. That would be necessary to make other changes like the moves Wednesday to make permanent the No. 31 bus route along 31st Street and an extension of the No. 157 bus route west along Ogden Avenue, he said. The No. 31 route will run from a shopping center at 33rd Place and Martin Luther King Drive west to the Ashland Orange Line station, running near Guaranteed Rate Field and the Illinois Institute of Technology. It will run every half-hour between 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. This route fills a major gap in service for the South Side, Connelly said. The pilot route has been running since 2016. It was set to expire several years into the test because it failed to draw enough riders, but was ultimately extended. CTA said Wednesday the route drew more riders after service was added during morning rush hour. Advertisement The No. 157 route will be permanently extended from Ogden and California to the Pulaski Pink Line station, after a pilot began in June 2020. The goal was to reintroduce service into an area with a growing need for transit service and a growing need for city investment, Connelly said. The two bus extensions are expected to cost $1.1 million. The board also approved permanently realigning the No. 52 and No. 94 bus routes on Kedzie and California avenues, a move that has been tested since June 2020. The two routes saw a higher than average number of riders return during the pandemic, Connelly said. The Kedzie bus will run north to Chicago and Sacramento, instead of going east and then north along California, and the California bus will run north to Addison. The move is intended to align service better with the citys street grid, and improve the connection to the California and Kedzie Green Line stations, CTA officials said. It is not expected to cost the agency additional money. Advertisement The CTA has said it faced temporary staffing shortages during the pandemic as it has failed to meet scheduled service levels, but Steele said the agency has the staff necessary to make the bus service extensions permanent. As the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge of the omicron variant wane, fewer CTA employees are taking unplanned absences, he said. As we start seeing fewer unplanned absences, that means we will be able to provide more of our scheduled service, he said. sfreishtat@chicagotribune.com Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will lift his indoor mask mandate for most public places on Feb. 28 if the states largest coronavirus surge continues to subside, a move that comes as Democratic governors across the country begin loosening rules in response to improving data and an increasingly pandemic-weary public. Pritzker is not dropping masking rules for schools, however, as his administration seeks to overturn last weeks court ruling that called into question his legal authority for mandating face coverings, quarantines and, for school staff members, vaccinations or testing. Advertisement Masks also will continue to be required in health care settings and on public transportation, due in part to federal requirements. Cities and businesses still will be allowed to maintain more stringent requirements. In announcing his decision, Pritzker cited a rapid drop in the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 since that figure reached an all-time high in mid-January during a surge, driven by the highly contagious omicron variant, that put enormous strain on the states health care system. Advertisement We are on track to come out on the other side of this latest COVID storm in better shape than even the doctors expected, Pritzker said Wednesday. If these trends continue, and we expect them to, then on Monday, Feb. 28, we will lift the indoor mask requirement for the state of Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker announces on Feb. 9, 2022, that the state's indoor mask mandate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will be lifted by the end of February. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Following Pritzkers announcement, Chicago health officials said they should be in a position to lift restrictions at that time if current trends continue. The Pritzker administration said it hopes to lift the requirement for schools in the coming weeks, but did not commit to a specific date. The equation for schools just looks different right now than it does for the general population, Pritzker said. Schools need a little more time for community infection rates to drop, for our youngest learners to become vaccine eligible, and for more parents to get their kids vaccinated. State health officials will monitor the effect of lifting the mandate for other public settings before allowing masks to be removed in schools, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. We need some time to make sure that we dont see some kind of unexpected result, Ezike said. The change in course is a calculated risk for Pritzker, a first-term Democrat who has made his handling of the pandemic a central focus of his reelection bid this year. Since declaring the coronavirus pandemic a statewide disaster nearly two years ago, Pritzker has argued that his decisions have been driven not by political expedience but by the latest science and the advice of doctors and other experts. This move forces Pritzker to explain to those who have supported his efforts and those who have opposed them why Feb. 28 is the right time to allow people to remove masks in many settings, while at the same time arguing in a state appellate court that he should be allowed to continue requiring them in schools. Advertisement The governor was quick to dismiss critics who contend the decision is motivated more by politics than by public health considerations. These are the same people that wanted us to take masks off or encouraged people not to get vaccinated back when we ... had rising infections and rising hospitalization, so its hard to take them seriously at this point, he said. Republicans in the state legislature have repeatedly characterized Pritzkers mask mandate as an overreach of his executive authority, saying such a policy needs to be decided on by lawmakers. He has not invited Republicans to participate in any meaningful discussion, whether its in a closed meeting of leaders but also on the floor of the House of Representatives and chambers, House GOP leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs said Wednesday during an unrelated news conference. The governor has taken this going-alone approach too long. Durkin also called for an end to masking in schools. Lets let parents and children go back to schools without having to deal with this mask situation, he said. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Laura Baker joins a group of parents with children who attend Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Glenview to protest the Archdiocese of Chicago's decision to continue the state's COVID-19 mask mandate on Feb. 8, 2022. The parents are asking officials to consider an "off-ramp" for masking in schools and urging them to adopt "mask optional" policies. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) To lend scientific credence to his decision, Pritzker was joined at Wednesdays news conference by University of Chicago infectious diseases expert Dr. Emily Landon, who has advised the governors office throughout the pandemic. Advertisement She called Pritzkers decision to lift the mandate at the end of the month aggressive and optimistic. But its also reasonable, Landon said. This does not mean that no one needs to wear a mask anymore. Its an acknowledgment that cases have fallen to an acceptable or manageable level. Still, some Chicago hospital leaders worry that the move is coming too soon. We still need to be mindful that we are not out of the woods and we should uphold the mask requirement to prevent the numbers from spiking again, Dr. Rochelle Bello, director of infection prevention and employee health at St. Bernard Hospital and Health Care Center in Englewood, said in a statement. Its too soon to lift the mask mandate as there is still risk of acquiring COVID and the flu as everyone in the community is not vaccinated, Bello said. Others, however, say it makes sense to peel back the mask mandate this month. Advertisement I think the rollback is appropriate at this point as long as people realize its not a directive that you shouldnt wear a mask its just that you dont have to, said Dr. Richard Freeman, regional chief clinical officer for Loyola Medicine. Freeman said that some people, such as those who are immunocompromised, should continue to mask. Despite Pritzkers intention to continue requiring masks in schools for the time being, that issue has been complicated by a Sangamon County Circuit Court judges decision last week to block the state and school districts named in a set of lawsuits from enforcing the requirement for students and teachers named as plaintiffs in the case. The state is asking an appellate court to reverse the ruling. The legal limbo has created chaos for school districts this week as they grapple with whether to continue requiring masks or make them optional. Pritzkers announcement did nothing to change the situation at Chicago Public Schools, which will continue to implement all the proven COVID-19 mitigation policies and procedures for students and staff, including universal masking, CPS spokeswoman Mary Fergus said. Many other districts have ignored Pritzkers order and made masks optional for students and staff members. Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery, whose organization includes Chicago Teachers Union, said he plans to work with Pritzker to ensure that metrics and timelines for any changes to COVID mitigations in schools are developed with the input of educators and parents. Advertisement Students, teachers and staff are exhausted and need stability, Montgomery said. We owe it to them to ensure that the places where they learn and work are as safe as possible. After Pritzkers news conference, Chicagos Department of Public Health released a statement saying its encouraged by the states reported plan to lift its mask mandate later this month and may be able to follow if key statistics improve. The city wants to see key metrics, like hospital beds taken by COVID patients, fall into a lower transmission category. If we as a city continue to see declines in these leading COVID metrics, we too should be in a position to lift restrictions at that time, the statement said. Cook County public health officials said trends suggest the health department, which covers most of the countys suburbs, also will be able to follow suit. The city health departments statement left unclear the fate of a requirement that customers show proof of vaccines at restaurants and other businesses. Eleven Chicago aldermen on Wednesday urged city public health Commissioner Allison Arwady to rescind that rule by Friday. The measures instituted have helped prevent the COVID-19 variants from overtaking our city. However, the science tells us it is time to loosen the regulations that crippled both virus and business alike, read a letter signed by those aldermen, who represent Northwest and Southwest Side neighborhoods where many city workers live and voters tend to be more conservative. Advertisement The change in Illinois comes in concert with recent moves by Democratic governors on both coasts. In the past three days, Democratic governors in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island and the Republican governor of Massachusetts have announced plans to roll back their states mask rules. The decisions are inevitably politically charged. All five Republicans seeking to challenge Pritzker in November have opposed the governors pandemic mitigation efforts, specifically masking and vaccine mandates, and several were quick to renew their criticism Wednesday. Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, who in March praised Pritzkers handling of COVID-19, on Wednesday criticized Pritzker for allowing everyone to remove their masks except the lowest-risk population. Illinois is being led by a governor who puts politics and special interests ahead of parents and their children. Enough is enough, Irvin said in a statement. Bull Valley businessman Gary Rabine, who has spread pandemic misinformation including questioning the efficacy of the vaccines, said Pritzkers announcement will compound the chaos by beginning to lift the mandate for the general public but keep it in place for schools. In a message on Twitter, Petersburg cryptocurrency venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan questioned Pritzkers decision, saying, So Illinois kids dont have to wear masks in restaurants, stores, museums or church but they do in schools. Advertisement This isnt real science its political science, Sullivan tweeted. State Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia has been outspoken in opposition to Pritzkers COVID mitigations, labeling the governor a tyrant. Were in a fight for our freedom, and were in a fight for the future of Illinois, Bailey said at a statehouse news conference Wednesday. Former state Sen. Paul Schimpf of Waterloo criticized Pritzker and Democrats who control the General Assembly for a complete abdication of duty by letting Pritzkers emergency orders proceed unchecked by lawmakers. The announcements from Pritzker and other governors come even though there is no clear, universally accepted public health metrics for when indoor mask mandates should be lifted in the few states that still have had them. As Pritzker was announcing the move, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the agency is working on updated guidelines on when states should end mitigations and doesnt begrudge states already taking steps. Advertisement Weve always said that these decisions are going to have to be made at the local level, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. But she said the CDC itself wasnt ready to call for relaxed mitigations nationally: Our hospitalizations are still high. Our death rates are still high. So, as we work toward that and as we are encouraged by the current trends, we are not there yet. At most, well before the omicron surge and proliferation of at-home testing, the CDC set up guidelines based on known infections, triggered with either higher rates of new cases or a higher percentage of tests coming back positive. Illinois has been able to keep the latter metric test positivity close to or below its CDC threshold. But Illinois was well above the CDC threshold for new cases before Pritzker reimposed the mask mandate in late August when Illinois had nearly four times the CDC threshold of 50 new cases a week per 100,000 residents. Illinois rate of new cases exploded with omicron, with the states weekly rate peaking at nearly 40 times more than the CDC threshold. The rate has since dropped fast, but is still about nine times more than what the CDC has said should be the minimum rate before people shed masks indoors. When pressed by reporters Wednesday, Walensky said the agency was not yet ready to abandon that guidance, but was taking a close look at this in real time, and were evaluating rates of transmission as well as rates of severe outcomes as we look at updating and reviewing our guidance. Advertisement Walensky earlier in the week said she was focusing on a different metric: hospitalizations. Omicron has been shown to be a milder form of the virus albeit still dangerous, particularly to the unvaccinated. But in a society thats mostly vaccinated, and already with some levels of natural immunity built in, the massive case spike didnt translate into nearly as massive of a hospitalization spike. COVID-19 hospitalization figures have dropped dramatically in recent weeks. As of Tuesday night, Illinois hospitals reported about 2,500 people hospitalized with the virus, far below the peak four weeks earlier of 7,380, but still above the weekly averages of 1,650 in May, when Pritzker loosened emergency orders to allow vaccinated people to go maskless indoors in public, and the 760 average when he lifted the mandate for everyone else in June. If hospitalization rates continue dropping as they have been in the past week, the state could see weekly average hospitalization rates drop below 1,650 in a week and a half and below 760 by early March. Pritzker initially ended his first mask mandate in May only for the vaccinated, insisting the unvaccinated had to keep wearing masks indoors. That made the order even harder to enforce. After infections continued dropping, the governor lifted the mandate for everyone in June, though the unvaccinated were still encouraged to mask up. Advertisement The current statewide mask mandate for all indoor public places, regardless of vaccination status, has been in effect since Aug. 30. Pritzker in October raised the idea of lifting some portion of the mandate in time for the holidays, but that possibility was quickly dashed by another surge that began soon after and was later supercharged by the arrival of the even more contagious omicron variant. While he said Feb. 28 would mark the end of the statewide mask mandate, he left the door open to the possibility that a future surge could lead him to ask people to don face coverings once again. There may come a time in the future when we need to do that, Pritzker said. Tribune reporters Jeremy Gorner, Rick Pearson, John Byrne and Gregory Pratt contributed. Laura Baker joins a group of parents with children who attend Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Glenview to protest the Archdiocese of Chicago's decision to continue the state's COVID-19 mask mandate on Feb. 8, 2022. The parents are asking officials to consider an "off-ramp" for masking in schools and urging them to adopt "mask optional" policies. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) The aftershocks of an Illinois judges decision upending Gov. J.B. Pritzkers COVID-19 school mask mandate were rumbling across Chicago and the suburbs Tuesday, igniting parent protests, heightening fears about the safety of students and teachers, and prompting the departure of a beloved Catholic school principal. The impact of Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischows Friday decision is also reverberating in Chicago Public School classrooms, where for the first time in nearly two years, a small number of students were allowed to attend school without wearing masks. Advertisement When I picked them up from school, it was so great to see their smiling faces. ... My daughter told me some of her friends never realized she had braces, because theyve only seen her masked, said Brendan Hehir, a father from Edison Park. Hehir is one of about 700 Illinois parents who signed onto a lawsuit against 146 school districts alleging that students who object to wearing masks or being excluded from school for being a COVID-19 close contact are entitled to due process. Advertisement Unfortunately for parents and children, CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union feel like theyre above the law, but theyre not, and theyre going to quickly find that out, because were coming for them, but were doing it through the legal process, said Hehir, a Chicago firefighter. While CPS has vowed to continue universal masking for the vast majority of its more than 330,000 students, a handful of students whose parents signed onto the lawsuit are being allowed to attend maskless based on the temporary restraining order issued by Grischow. While some anticipated attorney Tom DeVore, who is representing parents in the lawsuit, would need to take legal action to force the district to comply with the order, he said Tuesday he didnt need to, as they backed off. While the abrupt halting of the states school mask mandate this week was seen as a victory for parents like Hehir, it proved devastating for those who fear the temporary rollback of the virus mitigation measures could place their families and community at risk. My 7-year-old crawled into bed with me last night and said she might need to move her seat, because the majority of the kids in her class are unmasked, said Shannon Limjuco, a mother of two from Wheaton, who is frustrated Wheaton Warrenville Unit School District 200 has shifted from a mask mandated to mask recommended stance. It really broke my heart, and from a policy level, its not developmentally appropriate for little kids to be having to make these decisions, said Limjuco, who was among the contingent of parents who gathered outside District 200 headquarters this week to demand a return to the COVID-19 school protocol recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At Queen of Martyrs Catholic School in Evergreen Park, parents and students were reeling Tuesday afternoon upon learning from Principal Jacob Doc Mathius that he had been placed on paid administrative leave for declining to comply with the Archdiocese of Chicagos mandatory masking policy at its schools. Before I lose administrative rights to this platform, I want to let you know that I have been placed on paid administrative leave until the Office of Catholic Schools leadership officially acts ... presumably to terminate me, Mathius wrote in a Tuesday letter to parents. Advertisement While it is many times not easy to do what you believe is right, it always makes it easier if it comes from the heart. To that end, my decision was easy, and my course was clear, Mathius said. Andrea Gertonson, a mother of five children, three of whom attend Queen of Martyrs, said Mathius who arrived at the south suburban school last year after four decades at Brother Rice High School was beloved by students and parents. Hes been so good for our school, because the kids dont want to disappoint him, Gertonson said. He respects them, and they respect him. A spokeswoman from the Archdiocese of Chicago declined to comment on Mathius, who could not immediately be reached. But Gertonson said parents had an open dialogue with Mathius, and had conveyed the school community is ready to be mask optional. Advertisement He agreed with us, and then hes put on administrative leave, she said. In addition to parents protesting at Queen of Martyrs Tuesday afternoon in response to Mathius departure, dozens of parents and students gathered outside Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Glenview early Tuesday, asking the archdiocese to abandon their mask mandate and shift to a mask optional policy. Gosia Menyhart, center, joins a group of parents with students attending Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Glenview to protest the Archdiocese of Chicago's decision to continue the state's COVID-19 mask mandate and other virus mitigation measures outside of Our Lady of Perpetual Help on Feb. 8, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) The tensions and volatility surrounding school mask policies led to the arrest of a student at Fremd High School in Palatine on Monday, after a school resource officer was alerted to a disturbance in a classroom involving a student who displayed a small pocket knife during class. No injuries were reported and there is no active threat to the public, students, or staff at Fremd High School, Palatine police Cmdr. Jason Watson said, adding that charges are pending. Magnifying the tumult and uncertainty is an anticipated ruling on an appeal to Grischows decision from the Illinois attorney generals office, which could lead to the reinstatement of the governors executive orders on masking and quarantining for schools. And despite the steep declines in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, some medical experts warn that any lifting of mandates should be rooted in science, not legal decisions. Advertisement Its a little bit premature, Dr. Tina Tan, professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine said in a statement. Omicron is going to take advantage of this opportunity to infect as many people as it can because not everyone is vaccinated, people are indoors and therefore, theyre at a much higher risk of the spreading the disease, which is very transmissible, said Tan, also a physician at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago. The states largest teachers union also urged school districts Tuesday to take caution, saying schools do not want another disruption to our students learning while we are still working to bridge the learning gap created by the pandemic. We believe our school districts should not make any rash decisions changing COVID safety requirements until after this process plays out in our court system, said Al Llorens, vice president of the Illinois Education Association. But for parents like Theresa Guditis, who is a plaintiff in the lawsuit against CPS, the end of mandated masking at schools could not arrive soon enough. Why are we still masking healthy children? You dont see their smiles, they cant hear properly, and theyre all so sad and scared about what other people will say about them if theyre not wearing a mask, said Guditis, whose two children are students at Mount Greenwood Elementary School. Advertisement Limjuco, the mom from Wheaton, said while she also looks forward to a time when virus mitigation measures are no longer needed, school districts should not be easing up on protocol including masking before state and federal health departments have determined it is safe to do so. Im not particularly concerned about my kids, because they are not high risk, she said. But we dont live in a vacuum, and the foundation of public health is we need to make decisions that are for the good of all. kcullotta@chicagotribune.com For a slow-boat river cruise, and a spluttery sort of movie, Death on the Nile covers a lot of territory. Its a gently but firmly diversified version of Agatha Christies whodunit; a mustache origin story; and a film (no spoilers here) in which Armie Hammer takes the role of a weaselly sexual predator, one of many sweaty murder suspects in director and star Kenneth Branaghs second go-round as Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The initial late-2019 release date for Death on the Nile was delayed by various factors, notably the early stages of COVID-19, and by accusations of sexual assault and rape that have, for now, derailed Hammers career. For a while 20th Century Fox/Disney wasnt sure how to solve this one. Recast Hammer with someone else, the way Kevin Spacey was replaced by Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World? Recut the picture to de-emphasize the Hammer characters prominence? Advertisement The snag there, of course, is that once you start pulling threads with a whodunit, the entire quilt starts looking sloppy. The latest trailer does a highly strategic job of keeping Hammers close-ups and medium shots nonverbal and in the 0.4 to 0.7-second duration range. The film itself, apparently, has been left more or less as it existed prior to the pandemic. In the 1937-set movies early scenes, inside a swank London blues joint, Branagh leans all in on sweaty, beady-eyed Simon Doyle (Hammer), as he sweats up the dance floor, dirty-dancing (after a fashion) with his intended, Lady Jacqueline (Emma Mackey). Seconds later, hes introduced to his fiances friend, the fabulously rich Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot). Poirot eyes this dangerous triangle in the making. Advertisement Six months later, Poirot has accepted an invitation to a wedding cruise down the Nile. By this time Doyle and Ridgeway have married, but Lady J turns up with revenge and mad love oozing from every pore. Roughly a third of the way into the picture theres a gunshot, a corpse and a cumulative spit-ton of expensive but silly-looking computer-generated imagery, making like were in Egypt in the 30s, rather than Morocco (for some exterior shots), a London film studio (for most of it) or an effects lab (for the rest). Death on the Nile takes some story risks that pay off rather well. Screenwriter Michael Green invents an origin tale of Poirots mustache, involving the future detectives terrifying combat experience in the Belgian trenches during World War I. Green and Branagh rethink several characters, thus broadening the multiethnic range of what, as Christie originally wrote, was a blithe colonialist parade of luxury Anglo tourism and pasty-white skin. Sophie Okonedo plays a blues vocalist along for the cruise, accompanied by her niece (Letitia Wright). Kenneth Branagh as the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in a scene from "Death on the Nile." (Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/AP) The ensembles game, but nobody gets much in the way of lighthearted diversion even in the diversionary bits. Behind the camera, Branagh remains a frustratingly indecisive visual thinker. Hes plainly terrified of boring the audience, so he and Green (his collaborator on the 2017 Murder on the Orient Express) toss in dumb jolts by way of a cobra strike, or a CGI crocodile. The camera circles, bobs and weaves endlessly while people talk, without much behind the movement besides movement for the hell of it. The S.S. Karnak, i.e., the steamship cruiser, is a beaut. I wish the movie were half as beautiful. That said, I liked Death on the Nile a fair bit more than Branaghs previous Christie film, partly because its a less predictable and schematic narrative to begin with, and partly because Branagh the actor has a way of outfoxing his own pedestrian direction. Branaghs Orient Express also labored under the misfortune of following the 1974 Sidney Lumet version, with Albert Finney et al., a movie Ive loved since I was 13 and do still. With Death on the Nile, Branagh and company are competing in the collective filmgoing memory with a comparatively minor and erratic picture, the 1978 Nile featuring Peter Ustinov as Poirot and a lot of brittle mugging from everyone else. I never thought Id say this, but: What Branaghs Christie films need is more mugging, not less. Why let the CGI do all the overacting? Gal Gadot (with Emma Mackey, left) in the 1937 London-set prelude to "Death on the Nile." (Rob Youngson/AP) Death on the Nile 2.5 stars MPAA rating: PG-13 (for violence, some bloody images, and sexual material) Running time: 2:07 Advertisement How to watch: In theaters Feb. 10 Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here. Let me put that another way. Before they can take over as our lovers and soulmates, digitized entities have to work first on undermining their human rivals. They are doing a fine job. That is what "Love and Information," a terrific and important play, is all about. Well, that, and some meditating on how hard it is to be a writer when anyone can look up anything instantly. Give that some thought. It's tough. China urges U.S. to halt arms sale to Taiwan: spokesperson Xinhua) 08:06, February 09, 2022 The Capitol and a stop sign are seen in Washington D.C., the United States, on Feb. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes and strongly condemns the United States' plan for the sale of arms worth 100 million U.S. dollars to Taiwan and urges its immediate cancellation, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that the sale of weapons to the Taiwan region of China by the United States severely violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, especially the August 17 Communique. "Such acts seriously undermine China's sovereignty and security interests and gravely harm China-U.S. relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," said Zhao. China urges the United States to stay committed to the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, immediately cancel its arms-sale plan, and stop military ties with the Taiwan region, said the spokesperson. China will take legitimate and forceful measures to staunchly defend its sovereignty and security interests, he said. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) In a move intended to address its history of segregation, trustees at the University of Alabama agreed last week that a building named for David Bibb Graves, a former governor and Ku Klux Klan leader, will also carry the name of Autherine Lucy Foster, who in 1956 was the first Black person to attend the school. The decision to rename the building Lucy-Graves Hall was made on Thursday, exactly 66 years after Foster started classes on the universitys campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It was part of an initiative that the university has undertaken as institutions across the country are re-examining the names of buildings associated with racism and slavery. Advertisement At a meeting of the universitys board of trustees on Thursday, John England Jr., a retired judge and former trustee who served as the chairman of a group that considered the renaming, said its members struggled with the question of whether to retain the name of Graves, a Democrat who served two terms, from 1927 to 1931 and 1935 to 1939. Some say he did more to directly benefit African American Alabamians than any other governor through his many reforms, England, who is Black, said at the meeting. Unfortunately, that same Gov. Graves was associated with the Ku Klux Klan. Not just associated with the Ku Klux Klan, but also a Grand Cyclops. Its hard for me to even say those words. Advertisement The decision drew a swift backlash. The student newspaper, The Crimson White, said the building should not bear the name of a person who endorsed white supremacy at any time. In an editorial on Thursday, it said the decision was a cowardly compromise that presents the illusion of forward momentum while clinging to a racist past. Combining Lucys and Graves names conflates two legacies one the university should embrace, and another it needs to shed, the editorial said. Attempting to commemorate them as equals is unjust. England told the board of trustees that although Graves connection with the Klan was deplorable, it was born of political expediency early in his career. The decision to combine his name with Fosters was made after much wrestling with it. Foster, now 92, could not be reached for comment. In a statement issued through the university system, she said she was so grateful to all who think that this naming opportunity has the potential to motivate and encourage others to embrace the importance of education, and to have the courage to commit to things that seek to make a difference in the lives of others. This file photo shows Autherine Lucy Foster, center, the first Black person to attend University of Alabama, discussing her return to campus following mob demonstrations in Birmingham, Ala., on Feb. 7, 1956. (Gene Herrick/AP) England said the decision was taken in consultation with Fosters family. The New York Times reported in 1937 that Graves had admitted to once being a Klan member. His name has been stripped from structures at other schools in the state, including Troy University, Alabama State University and Jacksonville State University, according to The Montgomery Advertiser, which has re-examined his legacy as governor. The argument has been made that Graves gave the state better schools, better roads and better health care, Brian Lyman, the newspapers state government reporter, wrote on Twitter. He also allowed rampant terror against Black Alabamians and women of all races to go unpunished. Advertisement A spokeswoman for the university system, Lynn Cole, said that Englands working group acknowledges the complexity of this amended name and will continue to engage in respectful dialogue with those who have expressed feedback. Since it was formed in 2020, the universitys building renaming group has stripped the names of other Klan members and supporters of slavery from buildings on the Tuscaloosa campus. Morgan Hall, named for John Tyler Morgan, a former Confederate general and Ku Klux Klan Grand Dragon, became English Hall. Nott Hall was renamed Honors Hall, shedding an association with Josiah Nott, a pro-slavery physician. Students and organizers had pushed for some of the changes with petitions, one of which garnered about 20,000 signatures. Another, with about 2,000 names, was started by Lauren Upton, a former student who was involved in recruiting for the universitys College of Education, which is housed in Lucy-Graves Hall and is connected to a library by a tunnel where Foster took shelter from rioters. Upton and others questioned why the trustees did not drop the Graves name. You are essentially saying at best he made bad decisions in order to further his career, and put many lives in danger, including Autherine Lucy Fosters, she said. Benard Simelton, the president of the Alabama state conference of the NAACP, said the organization would prefer that the building would just have her name. Advertisement We think this is still somewhat a slap in the face, he said. After graduating from Miles College in Fairfield, Alabama, in 1952, Foster, then known as Autherine Lucy, was offered a place in the University of Alabamas graduate program in education. Her acceptance was withdrawn, however, when school officials realized she was Black. It took three years and a ruling from a federal judge before she was allowed to enroll. Foster, 26 at the time, finally arrived on campus on Feb. 3, 1956. Her tenure as a University of Alabama student lasted just three days. On Feb. 6, a mob came after her with eggs, forcing her to take refuge for hours in a classroom. The university suspended her, saying it was doing so for her own protection, and expelled her soon after. I am shocked by this turn of events, The Times quoted Foster as saying as part of its coverage of her expulsion. Ive done all that I can. I was looking forward to returning to school. At this point there is nothing more I can say. No other Black students attended the University of Alabama until 1963, when Vivian Malone and James A. Hood were allowed to register, despite the efforts of Gov. George Wallace to block them. Advertisement Autherine Lucy Foster opened that door, England told the trustees last week. In 1988, Fosters expulsion was rescinded. She returned to the school and earned a masters degree in education while her daughter Grazia Foster was enrolled as an undergraduate. In 2019, she was given an honorary doctorate. The university has also recognized her with a scholarship and by naming the Autherine Lucy Clock Tower for her in 2010. c.2021 The New York Times Company Authorities were investigating the death of a man who was shot and later was accidentally run over by a police vehicle when officers responded to the scene of the shooting in the West Pullman neighborhood Tuesday afternoon, officials said. Just after 2 p.m., police were called to the 12100 block of South Stewart Street where the man had been shot by someone in a dark car, Chicago police said in a statement. The responding officer inadvertently struck the man who was lying in the street, police said. Advertisement The man was pronounced dead at 2:13 p.m. at the scene, according to information from the Cook County medical examiners office and police. He had not been identified as of early Wednesday and the medical examiners office was expected to perform an autopsy later in the day to determine his cause and manner of death. As such, it was not immediately clear whether the shooting led to his death or if he was still alive when he was struck by the police vehicle. Advertisement Police said a weapon was recovered at the scene. Detectives continue to investigate. Check back for updates. Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx watches as Chicago police Supt. David Brown addresses news media about the arrest of an alleged organized retail theft ringleader named Tacarre Harper, at police headquarters on Feb. 8, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) A Maywood man was arrested Monday after Chicago police identified him as the ringleader of a group involved in a series of retail burglaries on the Northwest Side and downtown from the end of last year into the new year, according to Superintendent David Brown. Tacarre Harper, 27, is facing multiple felony counts of burglary, police said. Advertisement Brown and Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx held a news conference at the police headquarters Tuesday afternoon to announce the charges. The string of robberies included that of a Burberry store downtown at the beginning of the year, Brown said. Harpers organized group allegedly conducted smash and grabs of retail stores from Nov. 26 to Jan. 6. Advertisement Brown said Harper contributed to the loss of $175,000. The Burberry store burglary, which is in the 600 block of North Michigan Avenue, made up majority $150,000 of that total. Harper had four active warrants at the time of his arrest, Brown said. He is also suspected in dozens of additional burglaries of liquor, electronic and clothing stores across Chicago and surrounding suburbs. He was identified through video surveillance that captured him and he was easily recognized because of distinctive features, Brown said. Foxx said Harper appeared at bond court Tuesday and ordered held in lieu of $200,000 bail. We are going to arrest Harpers crew, Brown said. The arrest comes after 38-year-old Carlos Valliant, of Hammond was arrested Thursday in Crown Point, police said. He was identified as one of the main people responsible for the smash-and-grab burglary on Dec. 11, where a glass case was smashed and five watches were taken from a car dealership in the 800 block of North Rush Street, police said. He was charged with theft of $500,000 to $1 million and burglary. Kimberly Bares of the Magnificent Mile Association speaks during a news conference about the arrest of an alleged organized retail theft ring leader named Tacarre Harper, at police headquarters on Feb. 8, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune) Kimberly Bares, president of the Magnificent Mile Association, said at the news conference that these arrests signal to criminals that retail theft will not be tolerated on Michigan Avenue or anywhere else in Chicago. Some people mistakenly think these are victimless crimes, but these crimes have real victims, Bares said. Employees and customers physically present in store during crimes are put in harms way. Advertisement pfry@chicagotribune.com Twitter @paigexfry Former Chicago Ald. Edward Vrdolyak, center, walks with attorney Michael Monico, far right, as they exit the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago on Nov. 22, 2016. Vrdolyak was arraigned in federal court on charges he improperly shared in millions of dollars from the $9 billion tobacco settlement in Illinois with a lawyer who failed to pay taxes on his cut. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Lawyers for former Ald. Edward Fast Eddie Vrdolyak have vigorously re-upped his plea for a compassionate early release from prison, saying the governments fight to keep the frail, once-powerful politician behind bars fails to communicate a degree of humanity. Vrdolyak, 84 and confined to a wheelchair, has dementia and suffered a fall that resulted in traumatic brain injury, and he should be released to protect him from quick-spreading COVID-19 variants that represent a grave risk to his life, his attorneys argued in a filing late Tuesday. Advertisement Vrdolyak, following several pandemic-related delays, only began serving his 18-month sentence on Nov. 30 at a federal medical facility in Rochester, Minnesota, with access to Mayo Clinic. He is not scheduled to be released from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons until March 2023, when he would be 85. He pleaded guilty in March 2019 to a tax charge alleging he obstructed an IRS investigation related to millions of dollars that Vrdolyak and an associate reaped from the states settlement with tobacco companies. Advertisement The one-time power broker rose to prominence as he headed the Vrdolyak 29 bloc of aldermen who sought to thwart Chicagos first Black mayor, Harold Washington, at every turn during the 1980s Council Wars period when the citys hostile politics earned it the nickname Beirut on the Lake. In late January, federal prosecutors called Vrdolyaks request for an early release frivolous, noting he has been seeking to cut his sentence short since he entered prison shortly after Thanksgiving. The idea that there is some sort of white-collar criminal privilege that entitles fraudsters like the defendant to submit requests for release from custody on the day they arrive and to be released after serving only several weeks of their sentence is a mockery of justice, wrote Amarjeet Bhachu, an assistant U.S. attorney. Bhachu acknowledged Vrdolyaks hospital stay for a fall that caused a skull fracture. But the prosecutor said Vrdolyak was able to return to the federal medical prison in approximately one day and is housed in a unit with 24-hour nursing care and a doctor. Further, prosecutors argued the federal prison system has taken many steps to reduce the risk of prisoners catching COVID-19. Cutting Vrdolyaks sentence could embolden others to delay their day of reckoning, and then appeal their advanced age and health as an excuse not to serve a custodial sentence at all, Bhachu wrote. Vrdolyaks attorneys, Gabrielle Sansonetti and Alan Ellis, said the governments resistance to the early release is shocking, saying it was delivered with gratuitous vitriol and made in an attempt to emotionally manipulate the court. The governments accusation that Mr. Vrdolyaks utilization of the legal levers of the criminal justice system is somehow defiant, is genuinely callous, the defense attorneys argued. Advertisement They argued Vrdolyak is sickly and not the same man who walked into prison with a complete grasp of reality. They said he suffered a breakdown during an initial 14-day quarantine, lost 15 pounds and is now a confused, frail, man often untethered to reality in a prison where the omicron variant still rages. Vrdolyak pleaded guilty to a tax charge alleging he obstructed an IRS investigation into payments to and from his friend and associate Daniel Soso related to the states $9.3 billion settlement with tobacco companies in the late 1990s. Soso, a lawyer and former Chicago cop, pleaded guilty in 2019 to income tax evasion and was sentenced in March 2020 to two years in prison. rlong@chicagotribune.com jmeisner@chicagotribune.com Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoots controversial pick to head the Civilian Office of Police Accountability got through a City Council committee Wednesday, but not without opponents trying to derail the selection. At its second hearing to consider Andrea Kersten, the Public Safety Committee approved her by a 9-6 vote and sent the nomination to the full City Council later this month. Advertisement The choice of Kersten for the key post has been mired in discord since COPA recommended in a November report that slain police Officer Ella French be suspended for three days for her role in the wrongful Anjanette Young police raid. Kerstens advancement comes as the Chicago police union which has also criticized the posthumous discipline recommendation for French is advising its members to refuse to participate in a new COPA mediation program. Advertisement The controversial report came out under Andrea Kersten's leadership as as interim head of COPA. (COPA) Several aldermen, police officers and their supporters have ripped the Young raid report as disrespectful to Frenchs memory and blamed Kersten, who was acting head of the agency when it came out. Kersten has apologized for not doing more to prepare Frenchs family for the report, but countered that COPA authored its findings on the Young raid before French was fatally shot during an August traffic stop. The oversight agency is required to publish reports without alterations in order to promote public trust in its investigations, Kersten has said. In a bid to move past the situation, Public Safety Committee Chairman Ald. Chris Taliaferro on Wednesday announced plans to introduce an ordinance to allow COPA to redact from reports the names of police officers who have died with honor in the line of duty. A January hearing on Lightfoots call for Kerstens appointment ended without a vote when the administration realized it would fail in the face of opposition from committee members. Lightfoot herself criticized Kersten for tone-deafness in including the recommendation French be disciplined in the report, but has stood behind her for COPA chief. After French died, Young praised French for her actions during the bungled 2019 raid, during which Young was forced to stand naked and handcuffed while officers searched her apartment based on a faulty tip. A recently released inspector generals report faulted the Lightfoot administrations handling of the raid. Officer French was the only officer who showed Ms. Young any dignity or respect on the night of the raid, Youngs attorneys said in a statement after the officer was shot. Advertisement Kerstens reappearance at City Council comes as the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police has ramped up its opposition to COPA. On Monday, FOP Lodge 7 President John Catanzara ordered all members to decline to participate in COPAs mediation pilot program for police misconduct complaints. Announced last fall, the pilot will serve as an alternative for misconduct complaints, which usually lead to a COPA investigation. For certain situations, such as perceived bias or failures to provide service, the new program will have the complainant and police officer meet face-to-face with the assistance of a mediator to hash out the issue, according to a city news release. Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. In a YouTube video, Catanzara said the idea of mediation isnt something hes opposed to, but he felt those in charge of the program have not answered enough questions from the union over the matter. He also believes the initiative is subject to mandatory bargaining, he said. We are asking all members to not participate in the mediation program right now, until our concerns are addressed 100%, Catanzara said. There are ramifications for participating in this. The city, which works with the Center for Conflict Resolution on the pilot, also noted the 2019 consent decree that binds the Police Department also requires reforms that include community mediation. Advertisement But Catanzara suggested the real impetus for a mediation program is because COPA is drowning in paperwork and wants to resolve misconduct cases faster. Dont forget, theyre not our friends, Catanzara said. They never have been, they never will be. Theyre only trying to make themselves look better and get through discipline recommendations in a quicker pace. jebyrne@chicagotribune.com ayin@chicagotribune.com The redevelopment of a 21-acre North Lawndale site into a 302,000-square-foot industrial complex and a pair of community centers has the potential to bring jobs, and space to gather and innovate, to the West Side. The plans are the latest proposal in the city of Chicagos ongoing Invest South/West initiative. Maurice Cox, commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development, said the initiative is laser-focused on sites that were neglected, overlooked and abandoned. The $38.4 million project will sit at 4300 W. Roosevelt Road. Advertisement We intended to raise the bar across the board and prove several things, Cox said about the Roosevelt and Kostner redevelopment. Could we create a next-generation light manufacturing facility that serves as an industry model for what green and clean energy practices look like? Could it be designed in a way that actually gives something back to the community? Could we lay the foundation for a park along the Altenheim rail line and provide connections beyond the site to the rest of the neighborhood? Could we utilize the exterior building walls as a canvas for artistic expression and could we create hundreds of jobs? And could we extend the dignity of design excellence to industrial sites? Cox said the project is a manifestation of all of those goals. 548 Development is partnering with Related Midwest to bring the site to fruition. The complex will have a 153,460-square-foot building with 31 dock spaces on the northern portion of the property and a 148,680-square-foot-building with 31 dock spaces on the southern portion of the property. The site will also include a North Lawndale Innovation Center, which will provide two buildings for community-based retail, workforce training, and office uses in partnership with local community organizations. An adjoining community park will offer outdoor gathering space for the community. Advertisement Robert AJ Patton, of 548 Development, speaks during a news conference at Chicago's Roosevelt Road and Kildare Avenue on Jan. 31, 2022, where a multimillion-dollar project was announced to develop vacant land bounded by Roosevelt Road and Kostner, Kildare and Fifth avenues. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Cox said the wants and needs of the site came together over months with the help of hundreds of residents and community members via opinions shared in virtual meetings and surveys. It represents a collective effort of all of us to give this site an entirely new meaning in Chicago, Cox said. Rather than acres and acres of unimproved land, rather than mountains of debris, we are going to see this site return to its original purpose and that is to be a job-producing center for North Lanwdale and beyond. This is going to be a center of innovation. It brings to a close one of the most nefarious chapters in community disinvestment that Chicago has ever seen. 548 Development founder and partner AJ Patton said the idea of a freight/logistics complex with communal space just made sense. Several hundreds of permanent and temporary jobs are expected to come from the development. Retail is dead. You cant do office and there are four other new housing developments within 2 miles of that site, Patton said. People need jobs. This is the 11th project announced in the Invest South/West initiative, a three-year program to invest $750 million in developments across 10 disadvantaged neighborhoods on the South and West sides. In March 2021, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced $67 million in investment proposals for the first three developments to be built in the Austin, Auburn Gresham and Englewood neighborhoods. In August, the city announced four mixed-use projects and three peripheral developments valued at $200 million for South Chicago, North Lawndale, Bronzeville and New City. The city announced three mixed-use projects in November totaling $126 million for Humboldt Park and South Shore. This project checks all the boxes of our values about how we go into community, work with community and making sure that were making investments that benefit community, Lightfoot said. The citys investment into this development was a no-brainer. Advertisement A solar-powered, 302,000-square-foot industrial complex and a pair of community innovation centers have been chosen as an Invest South/West RFP to revitalize 21 acres of city-owned land at 4300 W. Roosevelt Road in North Lawndale. 548 Development and Related Midwest are redeveloping the $38.4 million project. (548 Development and Related Midwest ) Bounded by Roosevelt Road and Kostner, Kildare and Fifth avenues, the site is located in the Roosevelt/Cicero Industrial Corridor and was occupied by a Copenhagen snuff plant and other industrial users before being cleared in the 1980s and 1990s prior to its acquisition by the city. Patton said theres going to be significant environmental cleanup at the site before work begins. Both Patton and Ald. Michael Scott Jr., 24th, envision groundbreaking before the end of 2022 with something promising to show by 2023. Scott says seeing something partly created by an African American in the city of Chicago, in a community that is overwhelmingly African American is really important when it comes to changing the narrative of what currently exists in North Lawndale and what can be in North Lawndale. I know there have been several attempts to redevelop this site I remember one being a movie studio, the Obama Presidential Library, Scott said. Everybody got to the rim and did a pump fake and didnt shoot the ball. Im cautiously optimistic that we have a developer now that will feasibly have the wherewithal to get this in the ground with the city commitment of dollars. And hopefully that will create something that is catalytic as it relates to development in and around this ward and hopefully be the snowball that rolls downhill to get other things. In its early years, the North Lawndale area was a neighborhood where immigrants lived and worked until they could afford to move to someplace better. Factory plants and the world headquarters of Sears, Roebuck and Co. existed in its boundaries employing those who lived there. Shopping was prevalent on Roosevelt and Kedzie. By the time WWII ended and families made the transition to the suburbs, the Black population moved in. Fires set during the 1968 riots took out robust shopping corridors that never fully returned. Disinvestment has endured for decades. Chicago Ald. Michael Scott Jr., 24th, speaks during a news conference Jan. 31, 2022, where a multimillion-dollar project was announced to develop vacant land in the North Lawndale area. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Patton said he doesnt think the Roosevelt and Kostner redevelopment would have come to pass had the Invest South/West initiative not been created. He says Invest South/West is transformational because it dares to empower the people in the neighborhood, the same folks who have been in these neighborhoods doing work for years. With the redevelopment, Patton is bringing inclusivity to the table meaning more Black and brown people at every level of development and not just on a subcontractor or laborer level. As he says, equity is in every line item. This has been barren land for some time, he said. Its important that we have something nice, a job creator, that is going to be pointed toward us and inclusive of us. Were creating two innovation centers on-site to be a hub for new business, incubation space, community space. We need more of that. We need these spaces. We want beautiful things. We want development. We want a vibrant economy, and we want to participate in it just as much. Advertisement Scott agreed. Theres a lot of momentum and hopefully this will be that snowball that gets everything rolling so that North Lawndale can come back the way that it should, or was prior to 1968, he said. Hopefully this will unlock all the other development that is needed to make our community vibrant and rich and sought after by folks to come and live and play and work and the like. drockett@chicagotribune.com Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news. A Matteson man used the personal information of others to file nearly 300 fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits that netted him $174,000, according to a federal indictment. Darronte Reggans, 33, is charged with 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. attorneys office in Chicago. Advertisement He pleaded not guilty to the charges during an initial appearance Feb. 1 in federal court following a bench warrant that had been issued for his arrest Dec. 21, when the indictment was filed, according to court records. Reggans was released after his arraignment and is next due to appear March 1, according to the U.S. attorney. Advertisement According to the indictment, Reggans obtained unemployment insurance benefits from the Illinois Department of Employment Security using the names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth and other personal information from other people without their knowledge to file claims for jobless benefits. In total, Reggans had filed claims for benefits totaling at least $3.6 million, according to the U.S. attorney. Reggans fraud scheme started in around March 2015 and continued until September 2017, according to the indictment. In filing the benefits claims, Reggans requested payment from the Illinois Department of Employment Security through benefit cards, which he used to make withdrawals from bank automated teller machines in locations including Richton Park and South Chicago Heights, according to the indictment. He used the state supplied debit cards to make withdrawals totaling nearly $8,400 from ATMs in those two suburbs from late December 2016 through late July 2017, according to the indictment. mnolan@tribpub.com Author Ray Bradbury leans against the sign of a park newly named in his honor on June 27, 1990 in Waukegan. He played at the park as a child and later wrote about it in his 1957 book "Dandelion Wine." Joe Cyganowski/The News-Sun (Joe Cyganowski/News-Sun) Determined members of the Waukegan Historical Society Board of Directors and a deadlocked Waukegan Public Library Board of Trustees have mended their frayed relations over the future of the Ray Bradbury Collection, agreeing to work together. The library board reached a consensus during a virtual committee of the whole meeting Tuesday to form a committee, which will include historical society representatives, to loan the collection to the society on a long-term basis so it can be housed in the new Waukegan History Museum. Advertisement A meeting with two library trustees, historical society directors, library interim executive director Jon Gaskill and Karl Ottosen, the librarys attorney, is planned within the next two weeks to begin discussions about the details. Im glad we were able to have an open discussion, library board President Robb Freeman said after the meeting. This will be good for the library, good for the historical society and good for the community. Advertisement Josh Bill, the historical societys president, echoed Freemans feelings, saying he was happy and hopeful for the city of Waukegan. Bradbury, a Waukegan native and famed author of books like Fahrenheit 451, willed his treasured collection of papers, books and other materials to the library when he died in 2012. As a boy, he developed his thirst for reading and love of books at the citys library. In Bradburys youth, it was known as the Carnegie Library, located on Sheridan Road. The Waukegan Park District bought the building two years ago as the future home of the museum, now located in Bowen Park. A massive renovation is planned for completion in 2023. Late last year, Bill said there were plans to re-create the childrens reading room as it was when Bradbury was a youngster, housing the entire collection there. He took a firm position at the time that the historical society wanted the library to transfer ownership of the collection through a donation. In a January meeting, the trustees twice voted 4-4 with one abstention to loan the collection, and again minutes later voted the same way on a transfer. After the votes, Freeman said the trustees held a closed meeting, reaching a consensus to gather all interested parties together to try to reach common ground. For nearly an hour Tuesday, there were no signs of compromise. Before the discussion began, Bill said the parties started negotiating a loan agreement nearly two years ago. He believed the initial proposal put too much risk on the historical society without enough protection. Under the terms of the initial proposal in 2021, Bill said there was too much uncertainty for the historical society and the museum, nor enough protection. Those requirements prompted a demand for full ownership. Advertisement The full financial burden of the conservation and care of the collection is put on the society, Bill said early in the meeting. The library can recall any or all of the collection at any time. The society wants to keep the collection intact, and to not sell portions or break it apart. The (proposal) does not protect against this. Ottosen said under Illinois law, the library cannot donate the collection to anyone except another tax-supported library or member Illinois library. The historical society is neither of these, he said. After more than 45 minutes of discussion without substantial progress, Freeman said he did not believe the trustees were going to come to an agreement among themselves which would allow either a transfer or a loan. I dont believe that vote will change, Freeman said. If so, were just spinning our wheels, and we need to come to a next step. If there was a more amenable loan agreement, would that be a place we could start from? Is there a way we could hit the reset button? Lori Nerheim, a historical society board member, said keeping the collection intact must be an essential part of any deal. She was also concerned about costs, since the non-profit organization is not funded by taxpayers. Advertisement Thats the biggest issue, she said. If the library is willing to bear that cost, I think we can look at other options. Before the trustees voted unanimously to begin negotiations for an equitable loan agreement, Ty Rohrer, the Park Districts manager of cultural affairs and liaison to the historical society, said any agreement would need to remove some of the risk from the society, which was present under the old proposal. We are under the obligation to Ray Bradbury to get this done, Rohrer said. We know what he wanted. If all of this, after three years, ends up with the library agreeing to properly preserve and conserve this collection, and we get it out to the public to see, that is a win for all of us. China will enhance its regulation of off-campus tutoring by stepping up legislation and enhancing supervision, said the Ministry of Education in its 2022 work plan. According to the plan, posted on its official website on Tuesday, the ministry will conduct regular inspections on national holidays, at weekends, as well as in winter and summer vacations. Any off-campus tutoring activities featuring curriculum subjects during these periods will be shut down, said the ministry. The ministry emphasized in the plans the necessity to advance legislation in regulating such tutoring activities. It also noted that it will guide local education authorities to categorize off-campus tutoring institutions by subjects, and clarify supervision responsibilities, according to the plans. Pablo Picasso's famed "Guernica" tapestry has returned to the UN Headquarters in New York after a year-long absence. The tapestry was restored at its original place outside the Security Council Chamber on Saturday. The owner of the tapestry, Nelson Rockefeller, Jr., retrieved it in February 2021. No reason was given at the time. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in February 2021 that the secretary-general and others went to great lengths to keep the tapestry in the UN, but in vain. "I am grateful that the tapestry will be able to continue to reach a broader segment of the world's population and magnify its ability to touch lives and educate," said Rockefeller in a statement on Saturday. Guterres stated in a letter dated Dec. 15, 2021 to Rockefeller: "This is most welcome news as we end a difficult year of global hardship and strife. The Guernica tapestry speaks to the world about the urgent need to advance international peace and security. We are honored to serve as careful stewards of this one-of-a-kind iconic work -- as we draw inspiration from its message." The tapestry of Picasso's 1937 anti-war painting "Guernica" was commissioned in 1955 by former U.S. vice president and governor of New York State Nelson Rockefeller and offered on loan to the UN in 1984. It had been outside of the Security Council since 1985. The original grey, white and black "Guernica" painting is in Madrid, Spain. Xi's meetings with Mideast leaders constructive in promoting ties, say media, political analysts Xinhua) 08:14, February 09, 2022 CAIRO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's meetings with leaders from Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are constructive in advancing relations, said media and political analysts from these Mideast countries. On the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics, President Xi met separately with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, all of whom were invited to attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. The Egyptian president's meeting with Xi will deepen political trust between the two countries, and yield fruitful outcomes in economic, commercial, and political cooperation, said Tarek Fahmy, professor of international relations at Cairo University. Al-Sisi's visit to China will have a positive impact on Egyptian-Chinese friendship, said Diaa Helmy, secretary general of the Egyptian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and expert on Chinese affairs. The Emirates News Agency, the UAE's official news agency, said Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi and President Xi "discussed ways of furthering friendly ties and explored opportunities for increasing cooperation, especially in investment and economy, under the joint comprehensive strategic partnership." The meeting between Qatar's emir and Xi will definitely push forward the friendly relations between Qatar and China, reported Al Sharq, a daily newspaper based in Doha. The newspaper also said that the meeting will strengthen the strategic cooperation between the two countries in various fields, and provide opportunities for the two countries to exchange views and coordinate positions on major international issues of common concern. Al Raya, a leading Qatari daily, said the meeting between the two leaders is a strong starting point for the two countries to further deepen bilateral relations, and provides a guarantee for consolidating bilateral relations. The Qatari emir's attendance at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics showed Qatar's willingness to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields, especially in the field of sports, the paper added. The meeting between Qatari and Chinese leaders will inject more vitality and strength into the friendship between two nations, said Al Watan, a Qatari daily morning newspaper. The meeting is of great significance to promoting and strengthening the friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries and maintaining regional and global security and stability, it added. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China will continue to advance the opening-up of its high-level education, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said in its key tasks for 2022 released Tuesday. Efforts will be made to step up cooperation with other countries in the sector, such as advancing the high-quality development of the Education Action Plan for the Belt and Road Initiative and stepping up cooperation with ASEAN countries in vocational education and mutual recognition of academic qualifications, according to the ministry. The country will also deepen reform of the system and mechanism for sending government-funded students to study abroad, develop internationally competitive education for overseas students, and tighten regulations for the employment and management of foreign teachers, said the MOE. The ministry will support quality basic education resources on the mainland to run schools in Hong Kong, explore the integrated development of education across the Taiwan Strait, and consolidate the platform for educational exchange between the mainland and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. Efforts will also be made to promote the pilot construction of overseas Chinese schools and deepen cooperation with international organizations such as UNESCO, it added. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez recently travelled to China for the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games. During his visit, Argentina and China announced the launch of the Year of Friendly Cooperation. This visit proved to be a crucial moment in China-Argentina ties, as the South American nation formalized its incorporation into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Moreover, the two countries announced that they will carry out a series of activities throughout the year to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between their peoples, and deepen exchanges and cooperation at the local level. Argentina has turned to China as a constructive and positive partner that can transform its economic fortunes. Over the past six years or so, the country has fallen upon hard times. A sinking currency and a debt crisis combined with the impact of the pandemic have severely harmed its gross domestic product, with average incomes falling from $14,600 in 2017 to just $8,441 today. The country represents a broader pattern seen across South America, with similar declines being experienced to its north in Brazil, as Buenos Ares recently secured a $50 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund. Argentina's economic performance has been characteristic of the stagnation which neoliberal focused policies have imposed on the continent. Since the BRI was proposed in 2013, it has been offering participating countries the opportunity to reshape their economic futures through the rapid and affordable creation of infrastructure in the domains of rail, road, sea, as well as energy thereby increasing connectivity, market potential and in turn export growth. As the second largest country in South America, Argentina has an enormous amount of economic potential. There is a reason why its name effectively translates to "Land of Silver" and that is because of its vast mineral resources, including lead, zinc, iron ore, uranium, manganese, tin, silver, copper and tungsten. In joining the BRI, Argentina procures for itself the ability to further develop these lucrative industries through the establishment of wide-reaching infrastructure, which can boost its exports. As China is an enormous consumer of metals in its own production and supply chains, this provides a concentrated and unrivalled market in terms of size for its exports, establishing a win-win partnership between the two countries for mutual economic growth. Moreover, Argentina is also a significant exporter of agricultural and food products including soy and beef, which are also important to China. In this context, the circumstances have been right for Argentina and China to boost engagement through the framework of the BRI, which will help the two countries deepen cooperation in various areas. As such, both sides are expected to enjoy more opportunities, and forge a transcontinental partnership which will ultimately bring significant benefits to their peoples. Tom Fowdy is a British political and international relations analyst and a graduate of Durham and Oxford universities. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/TomFowdy.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. Flash A top Iranian security official said Tuesday that Iran won't be able to gain economic benefits from restoring a 2015 nuclear deal unless the United States effectively lifts sanctions against Iran. Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani tweeted that since Iran's economic and technological sectors and capacities are integrated, the removal of the sanctions should be equal to all of them. Otherwise, he noted, it would be impossible for Iran to reap economic benefits from the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as experience has shown. The U.S. administration has failed to reach its goal via imposing 'maximum pressure' sanctions, and as long as Washington harbors the illusion that "unsupported promises" would work, the path to achieving an agreement in the Vienna talks will not be smooth, Shamkhani said in a separate tweet. Under the nuclear agreement reached in June 2015, Iran accepted some restrictions on its nuclear program in return for the removal of the Western sanctions. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal unilaterally in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Iran, which retaliated by scrapping some of its commitments. Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital of Vienna between Iran and major parties to the deal, in a bid to restore the deal. The U.S. has been indirectly involved in the talks. Flash China on Tuesday urged the United States to revoke a plan of arms sale worth $100 million to China's Taiwan region, and vowed to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and security interests. Zhao Lijian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, urged the U.S. to immediately stop arms sales to Taiwan and cease military contacts with the island. Zhao made the remarks at a regular press briefing after the Pentagon said Monday that Washington had approved a possible $100-million sale of equipment and services to Taiwan to "sustain, maintain, and improve" its Patriot missile defense system. A statement from the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said it had delivered the required certification notifying Congress following State Department approval for the plan. Zhao said the move seriously violated the one-China principle and the three joint communiques between China and the United States, particularly the August 17 Communique, seriously harmed China's sovereignty and security interests, and seriously undermined the China-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. China firmly opposes the move and strongly condemns it, he added. In 1982, China and the U.S. released the August 17 Communique concerning the issue of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, in which the U.S. stated that it "intends to gradually reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan." Zhao urged Washington to adhere to the one-China principle and the three joint communiques and revoke the plan immediately. China will take legitimate and strong measures to defend its sovereignty and security interests, he stressed. Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, also criticized Washington's move on Tuesday. Ma urged the U.S. to stop "playing fire" on issues concerning Taiwan and stop using the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" to harm China's interests. Attempts by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority to collude with external forces to seek "independence" and make provocations will only intensify tensions across the Taiwan Straits and bring disaster to the island, he warned. Flash The Lao foreign minister has urged the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to continue maintaining its impartial role and facilitating the implementation of the Mekong Agreement in a message of support for cooperation among the river basin countries. The remarks came during a courtesy call by MRC Secretariat Chief Executive Officer Anoulak Kittikhoun on Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith on Tuesday, a statement from MRC Secretariat said on Wednesday. During the meeting, Saleumxay said that to ensure sustainable development and maintain cooperation, the 1995 Mekong Agreement and MRC's official prior consultation process should be the basis for member countries and stakeholders to voice concerns and address critical issues together based on facts. "Dialogue and mutual understanding between Laos and other countries and stakeholders is extremely critical for an economically prosperous and environmentally sound Mekong region," Saleumxay said. The MRC, he said, has played a vital role in supporting the socio-economic development of Laos and other member countries including Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. Welcoming the first CEO of the MRC secretariat from Laos, the Lao minister added it was important for the MRC to maintain its strong reputation and services to the Mekong countries and the confidence and support of all partners. Kittikhoun told the Lao minister that the secretariat would continue to render technical support to the member countries, facilitate discussions by all parties and broaden MRC cooperation with others, including with upstream countries, China and Myanmar. "The MRC is deepening and extending its partnerships to ensure our collective efforts benefit the peoples that depend on the Mekong River Basin amid unprecedented challenges arising from climate change and shifts in flows," said the MRC CEO. The Mekong River Commission is an inter-governmental organization established in 1995 for regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River basin. Based on the Mekong Agreement between Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, the commission serves as a regional platform for water diplomacy as well as a knowledge hub of water resources management for the sustainable development of the region. Flash Learning to make yogurt, butter and cream gives 32-year-old Zainab Hazem and her Iraqi counterparts new hope they can support their families in the war-torn town of al-Hamdaniya in Iraq's Nineveh province. Zainab had fled her village in the Nimrud area in 2014, escaping only two hours before the extremist Islamic States (IS) group took control. Zainab and her family survived the conflicts, but they lost livestock and money. When they returned home in 2018, they needed to begin from scratch. Although millions of Iraqi displaced families have returned to their destroyed homes, they are struggling to gain a sustainable income and make a living upon the ruins. How could the displaced restart their lives? The question raised major concerns. Answers seemed especially difficult after a refugee crisis worsened along the Belarus border at the end of 2021. Most of the refugees came from Iraq and Syria. Zainab and many local women joined a training program, which was funded by the UN World Food Program (WFP) and a nongovernmental organization. They can choose training to make dairy products, process food, hatch eggs, or develop their own businesses. Many of the trainees are widows. Some are taking care of their families alone because their husbands went missing during the battle against IS. The women faced the harsh reality of life after returning home from years of displacement. They had to start from nothing to rebuild their lives. "I hope that we start a business and develop it to gain an income. We do not have any other income," Zainab said during a training session to make yogurt. "Most of us women are widows, and we do not have a breadwinner." Creating training and skills development opportunities for the women affected by conflicts is important, spokesperson of the WFP in Iraq Sharon Rapose told Xinhua. "What they need now are sustainable incomes, so jobs are not just for today or tomorrow," Rapose noted. "By creating small businesses that the women run, they are empowered to lead." Rahma Mahmoud Rajab chose to train on a poultry hatching project to provide a living for her family. She lives in a village east of Mosul, and her house is partially destroyed. "I want to work on the chick hatching project because there is no other such project in our village. I hope to succeed," the mother of three children said. Holi Ghanem is a pioneer among these women. After finishing her training course several months ago, she opened a small bakery in an abandoned garage in al-Salamiyah area, some 25 km south of Mosul. Her neighborhood lacks rebuilding infrastructure and public services. She relied on a gas-fueled oven to make sesame bread for residents. Nine women joined her business to make pastries, cakes, and sweets. Hoping to make a difference, they named the bakery "Hope Team." "We started making a profit. Now we feel that we have our own income. Even if it is small, it gives us a sense of stability and a way to rely on ourselves," Holi said. China supports Iran's continued efforts to resolve nuclear issue through negotiations: envoy Xinhua) 08:21, February 09, 2022 VIENNA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China supports Iran's principled position of continuing to seek resolution of the Iran nuclear issue through negotiations, said Wang Qun, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations in Vienna, on Tuesday. Wang made the remarks as talks on reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), resumed here on Tuesday after the negotiators returned from consultations in their respective capitals. Wang is the head of the Chinese delegation to the Vienna talks. Citing the package proposed by the United States and the E3 (the United Kingdom, France and Germany) and the recent U.S. sanction waiver on Iran's civil nuclear program as "a positive step" toward a final deal, Wang said all other parties should continue to listen more to Iran's views on the package and address Iran's legitimate rights and reasonable demands. He also expressed the hope that Iran will "formally come up with its written feedbacks on the proposed package for discussion by all parties." The Chinese envoy said that in general, the ongoing Vienna talks are "making positive progress" toward the final settlement of the Iran nuclear issue. He urged all parties to cherish the hard-won progress achieved in the past negotiations, focus on pending issues such as the lifting of sanctions and economic guarantee, further expand consensus, and strive to reach an early agreement. "China agrees to enhance the sense of urgency during the talks, but it's not constructive to set a deadline for the negotiations," Wang said, calling for the participants to further strengthen their political will and show goodwill and flexibility in the final stage of the nuclear talks. Wang urged the parties to focus on the issue of sanctions relief, which is Iran's primary concern as well as an important concern of China. "The United States, as the originator of the current Iran nuclear crisis, should lift all related illegal unilateral sanctions on Iran and third parties, including China, in order to regain the trust of the international community, while Iran should again comprehensively fulfill its obligations on this basis," Wang said, adding that the sanctions lifting, instead of a mere statement, should be implemented through concrete measures. Any solution to the Iran nuclear issue must address China's legitimate concerns, he said, urging the United States to honor its commitments, respect China's legitimate rights and properly address the issue of sanctions against Chinese entities and individuals. Wang stressed that dialogue and negotiation are the only way to resolve the Iran nuclear issue, and that China will work with all other parties to promote early breakthroughs of the negotiations. The JCPOA was signed in 2015 between Iran and the P5+1 (namely the five permanent members of the Security Council -- China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States, plus Germany), together with the European Union. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled Washington out of the pact in May 2018 and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, which prompted the latter to drop some of its nuclear commitments. Since April 2021, Iran and the other five remaining signatories to the JCPOA -- China, Russia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany -- have held rounds of talks in Vienna to revive the deal. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) Pakistanis discover traditional China in celebrating Spring Festival Xinhua) 08:34, February 09, 2022 YINCHUAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua)-- As a Pakistani son-in-law in China, Murad Haider, 36, is quite familiar with the Spring Festival as he spent this Lunar New Year's Eve just like before: watching the Spring Festival Gala, making dumplings and enjoying a family reunion dinner. "I made dumplings quite well, and it's fantastic for family members to build stronger family ties during the family reunion dinner," said Haider. Murad comes from northeast Pakistan's Rawalpindi, a city near the capital Islamabad. He has lived in Yinchuan, the capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, for about 15 years since he came to Ningxia University for Chinese language learning in 2007. After obtaining his master's degree, Haider also harvested his sweet love for this foreign country and got married to a Ningxia local in 2013. As a centuries-long tradition in China, the Spring Festival, also known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is a significant occasion for family reunions. Haider, deeply influenced by the traditional Chinese culture, used to travel back to Pakistan with his wife and 7-year-old daughter during the festival, and he would do the same this year if it were not for the pandemic. "I haven't reunited with my family in Pakistan for two years," said the man. "I miss them, but I'm not lonely at all, because I have family and friends in Ningxia too." Just like Murad Haider, Nawaz Shah, hailing from northwest Pakistan's Malakand, is another China hand. He has been studying and living in China for 11 years and is now a postgraduate student at Ningxia Medical University. Nawaz Shah has been to over 20 cities across China. He visited Harbin Ice-Snow World and was impressed with the vivid ice sculptures. He also traveled to south China's Hainan Province for a trip which he described as "entering warm spring after a three-hour flight in a thick down jacket." He is quite familiar with China, as well as the Spring Festival. Nawaz Shah recalled the big surprise of receiving a red packet when he was invited to a friend's home in a village of central China's Henan Province. "I know the Chinese elders would give the young generation lucky money or red packets during the festival, but I hadn't expected I could have one," said Nawaz Shah. "I felt touched and would never forget the day." Zafar Iqbal, a Pakistani expert in Ningxia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, was also impressed about the big day for the Chinese. Because of the pandemic, he also chose to stay in China during the Spring Festival holiday. "I have experienced and witnessed many spring festivals during my stay in Ningxia. During the festival, people would exchange gifts, give red packets, visit friends and spend a joyful time with family members," said Iqbal. Having worked in many places in Europe, Africa and Asia, he still likes China's Ningxia best. "Ningxia has a beautiful landscape, spanning from wetlands to mountains, rivers to deserts, green fields to well established and well planned city centers. Everything looks to me like a wonderland." This year, Iqbal spent the festival with his Chinese friends, enjoying pleasant chat time just like their family members. In order to help the foreigners enrich their holiday life, the regional government of Ningxia has organized a series of celebration activities, inviting foreign experts to experience traditional Chinese art including paper-cutting and ink painting. "I experienced paper cutting this year, it feels to me like a wonderful piece of art which I experienced for the first time in my life," said Zafar Iqbal. "I also tried to hold the pen and write the Chinese characters, and to play traditional Chinese music instruments. That was so much fun." Along with the celebrations, the Pakistanis didn't forget to make new year's wishes. Zafar Iqbal hopes that the pandemic could go away so that he could go back to Pakistan for a family reunion, while Nawaz Shah wishes he could be like a tiger with a stronger body and will, and achieve academic excellence. "I hope my families could live a happy life, and wish them good health and wealth," smiled Murad Haider. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) A woman participates in a training session to make yogurt in al-Hamdaniya, Nineveh province, Iraq, Nov. 29, 2021. Learning to make yogurt, butter and cream gives 32-year-old Zainab Hazem and her Iraqi counterparts new hope they can support their families in the war-torn town of al-Hamdaniya in Iraq's Nineveh province. (WFP/Handout via Xinhua) BAGHDAD, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Learning to make yogurt, butter and cream gives 32-year-old Zainab Hazem and her Iraqi counterparts new hope they can support their families in the war-torn town of al-Hamdaniya in Iraq's Nineveh province. Zainab had fled her village in the Nimrud area in 2014, escaping only two hours before the extremist Islamic States (IS) group took control. Zainab and her family survived the conflicts, but they lost livestock and money. When they returned home in 2018, they needed to begin from scratch. Although millions of Iraqi displaced families have returned to their destroyed homes, they are struggling to gain a sustainable income and make a living upon the ruins. How could the displaced restart their lives? The question raised major concerns. Answers seemed especially difficult after a refugee crisis worsened along the Belarus border at the end of 2021. Most of the refugees came from Iraq and Syria. Zainab and many local women joined a training program, which was funded by the UN World Food Program (WFP) and a nongovernmental organization. They can choose training to make dairy products, process food, hatch eggs, or develop their own businesses. Many of the trainees are widows. Some are taking care of their families alone because their husbands went missing during the battle against IS. The women faced the harsh reality of life after returning home from years of displacement. They had to start from nothing to rebuild their lives. "I hope that we start a business and develop it to gain an income. We do not have any other income," Zainab said during a training session to make yogurt. "Most of us women are widows, and we do not have a breadwinner." Creating training and skills development opportunities for the women affected by conflicts is important, spokesperson of the WFP in Iraq Sharon Rapose told Xinhua. "What they need now are sustainable incomes, so jobs are not just for today or tomorrow," Rapose noted. "By creating small businesses that the women run, they are empowered to lead." Rahma Mahmoud Rajab chose to train on a poultry hatching project to provide a living for her family. She lives in a village east of Mosul, and her house is partially destroyed. "I want to work on the chick hatching project because there is no other such project in our village. I hope to succeed," the mother of three children said. Holi Ghanem is a pioneer among these women. After finishing her training course several months ago, she opened a small bakery in an abandoned garage in al-Salamiyah area, some 25 km south of Mosul. Her neighborhood lacks rebuilding infrastructure and public services. She relied on a gas-fueled oven to make sesame bread for residents. Nine women joined her business to make pastries, cakes, and sweets. Hoping to make a difference, they named the bakery "Hope Team." "We started making a profit. Now we feel that we have our own income. Even if it is small, it gives us a sense of stability and a way to rely on ourselves," Holi said. Local women participate in a training session to make yogurt in al-Hamdaniya, Nineveh province, Iraq, Nov. 29, 2021. Learning to make yogurt, butter and cream gives 32-year-old Zainab Hazem and her Iraqi counterparts new hope they can support their families in the war-torn town of al-Hamdaniya in Iraq's Nineveh province. (WFP/Handout via Xinhua) Zainab Hazem participates in a training session to make yogurt in al-Hamdaniya, Nineveh province, Iraq, Nov. 29, 2021. Learning to make yogurt, butter and cream gives 32-year-old Zainab Hazem and her Iraqi counterparts new hope they can support their families in the war-torn town of al-Hamdaniya in Iraq's Nineveh province. (WFP/Handout via Xinhua) Local women participate in a poultry hatching project in al-Hamdaniya, Nineveh province, Iraq, Nov. 29, 2021. Learning to make yogurt, butter and cream gives 32-year-old Zainab Hazem and her Iraqi counterparts new hope they can support their families in the war-torn town of al-Hamdaniya in Iraq's Nineveh province.(WFP/Handout via Xinhua) Local women participate in a training session to make yogurt in al-Hamdaniya, Nineveh province, Iraq, Nov. 29, 2021. Learning to make yogurt, butter and cream gives 32-year-old Zainab Hazem and her Iraqi counterparts new hope they can support their families in the war-torn town of al-Hamdaniya in Iraq's Nineveh province. (WFP/Handout via Xinhua) Saturday, Feb.12 The Studley Ruritan Clubs famous Super Bowl Chili will be available for pick up at the Studley Store/Post Office (on the corner of Studley and Williamsville roads) between 9 a.m to noon on Saturday, Feb. 12. Order early before it sells out, and stock up your freezer for the Cold Winter ahead. The price is $9./quart. Proceeds go to benefit the community. Call Douglas Newcomb at 804-730-0570,or any Studley Ruritan member. Tuesday, Feb. 15 The Mechanicsville TEA Party will be meeting at their new location on 6701 Cold Harbor Road in Mechanicsville. It is across from Dollar General and near the Cold Harbor Road and Creighton Road traffic circle. The meeting will start at 7 p.m. The topic this month will be about the devastating impact the new Wegmans facility would have on an overlooked community in the immediate area. Regardless of where you live in Hanover County, everyone has been affected by the out-of-control and unmanaged growth that has been allowed to take place over the years. Find out how one group is taking a stand and why it matters to all of us. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you have any questions, contact Glenn Baker at 804-752-8389. If he does not answer, please leave a message. Saturday, Feb. 19 The Doswell Ruritan Club will be holding a Salt Fish Breakfast from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. located at 16433 N. Washington Highway. The breakfast will include eggs, bacon, potatoes, spiced apples, biscuits, cornbread, juice and coffee. Take outs will be available. The fee for adults is $10 and the fee for children aged 4 to 10 is $4. Ongoing Mechanicsville Churches Emergency Functions One Stop Shop (MCEF OSS) is open for food, clothing and linens from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at 7235 Stonewall Parkway in Mechanicsville (rear parking lot). The shop is available for residents in the 23111 and 23116 zip codes with identification and proof of residency. Saturdays Trinity Lutheran Church, Ashland Campus, located at 11515 Ashcake Road in Ashland two miles west of U.S. 1, holds its church service at 5 p.m. with Pastor Rev. Dr. Roy Minnix For more information, visit www.trinityrichmond.net or call 804-270-9626. Sundays All Souls Episcopal Church celebrates Holy Eucharist Rite II at 9:15 a.m. at Messiah Lutheran Church at 8154 Atlee Rd. in Mechanicsville. A nursery will be available for infants and toddlers. Katherine G. Dougherty is the Deacon in charge of All Souls. For more information, visit www.allsoulsva.org. A Healing and Recovery SS Class meets at 9 a.m. at the Walnut Grove Baptist Church at 7046 Cold Harbor Rd. in Mechanicsville. The class is for adults 18 and over and is an extension of the NorthStar community that also meets at 6 p.m. Fridays at the church. The Christian 12 Steps and Biblical wisdom are the basis of study and discussion to learn about Gods place in our lives. All are welcome. For more information, call 804-746-5081 or contact Craig Simpson at craigwgbc@gmail.com. Outside the Walls, a Narcotics Anonymous group, meets from 6 to 7 p.m. in the lobby of the Pamunkey Regional Jail at 7240 Courtland Farm Rd. in Hanover. For more information, contact John Shinholser, McShin president, at 804-249-1845. The website is http://www.mcshin.org. Tuesdays The Hanover Concert Band rehearses from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. every Tuesday, mid-January through mid-December, at the Hanover Arts and Activities Center at 500 S. Railroad Ave. in Ashland, just south of U.S. 54. Membership is open to anyone who can read music and play a non-string instrument. High school students are welcome with parents permission. Visit www.hanoverconcertband.org or call 804-789-0536. Wednesdays Walnut Grove Baptist Church is conducting English and Citizenship classes with open enrollment through May 2022. Classes will be held Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact the church office, located at 7046 Cold Harbor Road, Mechanicsville. Contact 804-746-5081 or at wgbcinfo@comcast.net or 804-746-4696. The classes are free but the students will need to purchase the books required for their class. Hanover Rotary meets from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Romas Restaurant at 7240 Bell Creek Rd. in Mechanicsville. Due to the pandemic, contact President Penny at pennyguiles43@gmail.com for current meeting at Romas or Zoom connection information. Thursdays The Ashland Rotary Club meets weekly at noon at the Iron Horse Restaurant at 100 S. Railroad Ave. in Ashland. For more information, contact Steve Dunham at 804-496-6093 or sandrdunham@yahoo.com. Overcomers Outreach & Womens Codependency is a Christ-centered anonymous support program offering hope and healing for recovering alcoholics, addicts and their families. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. at Shalom Baptist Church at 8116 Walnut Grove Rd. in Mechanicsville. For more information, call 804-366-6524 or email mjfaith1@gmail.com. Civil Air Patrol, Hanover Squadron, meets Thursdays, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Fairfield Presbyterian Church, 6930 Cold Harbor Rd, in Mechanicsville. CAP is an awesome program for youth, ages 12- 21, as well as for adults who care about young people and want to help train Americas next generation of Leaders. Youll find cadet life exciting if you enjoy Flying, Leadership Training, Model Rocketry, Earning Rank & Awards, and much more. For more information, visit hanover.vawg.cap.gov. You can also call or email Capt James Wright at 804-551-3354 or james.wright@vawg.cap.gov. Fourth Mondays The FeedMore Mobile Food Pantry will be distributing food from 10 to 11 a.m. at the First Shiloh Baptist Church at 8150 Walnut Grove Rd. in Mechanicsville. For more information, contact Heather at hshaheen96@gmail.com. Second Mondays The WEB of Hope meets from 10 a. m. to noon at the Black Creek Baptist Church at 6289 McClellan Rd. in Mechanicsville. It is one of several groups in the Richmond area that crochets, knits, sews, and quilts gifts for the American Red Cross to distributed to those in need. Since its inception, the WEB has donated over 153,000 gifts locally, nationally and globally. If you can make it, the WEB can use it. There are so many organizations in need of help. For more information, call Laurie Wagner at 804-781-0338. Third Mondays Alzheimers/Dementia support group for caregivers and others who want to help and encourage those who have loved ones with dementia illnesses meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month on Zoom. For more information, contact Jennifer Bean at 804-559-2805 or the church office at 804-746-9073. The Hanover County Community Services Board meets at 6:30 p.m. at 12300 Washington Hwy. in Ashland. Fourth Mondays The FeedMore Mobile Food Pantry will be distributing food from 10 to 11 a.m. at the First Shiloh Baptist Church at 8150 Walnut Grove Rd. in Mechanicsville. For more information, contact Heather at hshaheen96@gmail.com. Second Tuesdays The Mechanicsville Fellowship Club meets each month (excluding July and Aug.) at 10:30 a.m. in Room G110 of Shady Grove United Methodist Church at 8209 Shady Grove Rd. in Mechanicsville. Bring a covered dish and join in with a group celebrating faith, fellowship, friends and fun. Meetings are cancelled if Hanover County Public Schools are two hours late or cancelled due to inclement weather. To register, call the church at 804-746-9073. For more information, call Janet Lewis at 804-398-8947. The Hanover County Historical Society will be conducting free tours of the Old Hanover Courthouse on the Historic Courthouse Green from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every second Tuesday through December. The address is 13182 Hanover Courthouse Road in Hanover. For more information, visit http://www.hanoverhistorical.org/index. Third Tuesdays LISBON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- A cyberattack on Vodafone Portugal, one of the country's leading telecommunications companies, has affected four million customers on Tuesday. The victims include essential services such as the post office, firefighters and the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM). According to Vodafone Portugal, it was a "targeted attack on the network," which aimed to "cause damage and disturbance." Access to 3G voice and data services has already been restored, but business and banking services are still inaccessible, said Mario Vaz, chief executive officer (CEO) of Vodafone Portugal. According to the company, the attack started late on Monday and reached a "severity level that made the recovery of services as difficult as possible." It caused the "abrupt interruption" of almost all services. According to Vaz, Vodafone Portugal continues to cooperate with the Judicial Police to investigate the attack and its origins. "There are no indications of customer data breach," he said. Vodafone's competitors have offered to help in restoring the company's services. Mayor of Mbalmayo Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele (R, Front) hands a certificate of honorary citizen of Mbalmayo to Tian Yuan (L, Front), head of the Chinese medical team in Cameroon, during a farewell ceremony for the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team in Mbalmayo, Cameroon, on Feb. 8, 2022. Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele, Mayor of Mbalmayo municipality, located 48km on the outskirts of Cameroonian capital Yaounde, on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team sent to the Central African nation, saying that their mission "has been a thorough success." (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) YAOUNDE, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele, Mayor of Mbalmayo municipality located 48km on the outskirts of Cameroonian capital Yaounde on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to the 21st batch of the China medical team sent to the Central African nation, saying that their mission "has been a thorough success." In a speech during a farewell ceremony for the medical team in Mbalmayo, Obele said that they have brilliantly discharged their mission. "I thank the Chinese medical team whole-heartedly. Thank you for your love, fraternity and cooperation. Out of the over 300 councils in Cameroon, the team paid special attention to Mbalmayo. It was a good experience," Obele said, adding that the team worked even on weekends to take care of patients in the municipality especially in rural areas where access to healthcare is difficult and expensive. Obele awarded honorary certificates to some members of the team and made Tian Yuan, head of the Chinese medical team in Cameroon, honorary citizen of Mbalmayo. "This is in recognition of your selfless contribution to this municipality. You are the fifth person in the history of Mbalmayo to be made an honorary citizen. It is a big honour for you and for us," Obele said. Tian thanked the mayor and other dignitaries including the sub-prefect of Mbalmayo who took part in the ceremony and stressed that the team will leave Mbalmayo with good memories of cordial relationship between Cameroon and China. The ceremony ended with the reception of a batch of medical equipment donated by China to Mbalmayo to fight against the novel coronavirus and other ailments in the municipality. The mission of the 21st batch of Chinese medical team will officially come to an end in Cameroon in April. Members of the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team in Cameroon pose for a photo with Mayor of Mbalmayo Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele and other local officials during a farewell ceremony for the medical team in Mbalmayo, Cameroon, on Feb. 8, 2022. Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele, Mayor of Mbalmayo municipality, located 48km on the outskirts of Cameroonian capital Yaounde, on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team sent to the Central African nation, saying that their mission "has been a thorough success." (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Mayor of Mbalmayo Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele (R, Front) receives a batch of medical equipment donated by China during a farewell ceremony for the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team in Mbalmayo, Cameroon, on Feb. 8, 2022. Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele, Mayor of Mbalmayo municipality, located 48km on the outskirts of Cameroonian capital Yaounde, on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team sent to the Central African nation, saying that their mission "has been a thorough success." (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) Mayor of Mbalmayo Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele (C) receives a batch of medical equipment donated by China during a farewell ceremony for the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team in Mbalmayo, Cameroon, on Feb. 8, 2022. Dieudonne Zang Mba Obele, Mayor of Mbalmayo municipality, located 48km on the outskirts of Cameroonian capital Yaounde, on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to the 21st batch of the Chinese medical team sent to the Central African nation, saying that their mission "has been a thorough success." (Photo by Kepseu/Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel struck targets in Syria on Wednesday in response to an anti-aircraft missile launched from Syria, which exploded in mid-air, the Israeli army said. Sirens were heard in the Arab city of Umm al-Fahm in northern Israel as well as in the occupied West Bank, the army said in a statement. Residents reported large explosion sounds, according to the Hebrew-language news outlet Ynetnews. There were no immediate reports of Israeli casualties. The alerts in Israel came as the Syrian state media SANA reported the aerial defense systems in the Damascus area had been activated and intercepted Israeli missiles. Over the past years, Israel has carried out numerous airstrikes on targets inside Syria based on the theories that those targets are linked with Iran-allied militias, such as Hezbollah. Both Iran and Syria deny those charges. LAGOS, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed when a group of gunmen attacked the convoy of a businessman in south Nigeria's Edo state on Monday evening, police said on Wednesday. Kontongs Bello, the police spokesperson in Edo, told Xinhua on the phone that the victims were drivers attached to the chairman of a petroleum marketers association in the state, Abdul-Hamid Egele, who was abducted by the gunmen after the attack. The gunmen intercepted Egele's motorcade near the town of Jattu of the state on Monday evening, killing the driver of the car Egele was using on the spot, and wounding a security guard and another driver of the motorcade, said Bello. He said the second driver, who was driving Egele's backup car, died later because of the serious bullet injuries he suffered during the attack. The police spokesperson said the police had begun a rescue operation in the area. Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in the most populous African country, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. TRIPOLI, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah on Tuesday said his government will remain in office until elections are held, and will only hand over to an elected government. "We will not allow new transitional phases and will not abandon our role in the Government until the elections are held. The Government of National Unity will continue working until handing over office to an elected government," Dbeibah said in a televised speech. Dbeibah accused "a political class" of dominating the country over the past years by "issuing decisions in the Libyan House of Representatives," and "continuing to falsify decisions without oversight and accountability," and of attempting to create political division and chaos in the country. The prime minister also accused the "political class" of failing the elections "without even clarifying the reasons for not holding the elections." Dbeibah made the remarks two days ahead of a vote in the House of Representatives for a new prime minister. House of Representatives Speaker Aguila Saleh has said Dbeibah's government expired and called for appointing a new one. The House of Representatives withdrew confidence from the government in September last year and kept it as a caretaker government. Dbeibah was appointed as the prime minister of the Government of National Unity in February by the UN-sponsored Libyan Political Dialogue Forum to end years of political division in the country. Libya had been expected to hold general elections on Dec. 24, but the elections were postponed indefinitely due to technical and legal issues, according to the country's High National Elections Commission. KABUL, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban-led caretaker government Abdul Salam Hanafi said that no one in the government had the right to hold kangaroo court in Afghanistan, the state-run news agency Bakhtar reported Wednesday. At a meeting with Deborah Lyons, special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Hanafi said the policy of the government was clear and no one would be allowed to violate the law. "No one has the right to arrest or launch extrajudicial court for suspected individuals in Afghanistan and no one would be allowed to do such violation," Hanafi was quoted by the news agency as saying. The remarks came amid allegations that armed men of the Taliban-led government are arresting certain individuals, including some girls, on charge of opposing the Taliban-led system or violating the Islamic Emirate's rules and regulations. China's top legislature slams U.S. bill with negative China content Xinhua) 08:39, February 09, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, has voiced strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to a U.S. bill containing negative content related to China. The so-called "America COMPETES Act of 2022," recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, is steeped in Cold-War mentality and zero-sum game mindset, and denigrates China's development path as well as its domestic and foreign policies, the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement. The bill, under the guise of enhancing the competitiveness of the United States, intends to curb and suppress China's innovation and development and maintain the global hegemony of the United States, the statement said. It also noted that moves to treat China as a strategic rival of the United States will only undermine mutual trust between the two countries, sabotage bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, education, science and technology, and will eventually harm the vital interests of the United States. The bill's content relating to Taiwan seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques, the statement said. It stressed that issues relating to Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong are purely China's internal affairs that brook no external interference. "Any egregious attempt to interfere with China's internal affairs and hurt China's core interests will be met with strong reactions," read the statement. It also urged the U.S. Congress to view China's development in an objective and rational way, to immediately halt the progress of the bill, and to safeguard China-U.S. relations with concrete actions. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) HANOI, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- A total of six people were killed and three others injured after a truck plunged off a cliff in Vietnam's central highlands Gia Lai province early Wednesday morning. The accident occurred when the 16-ton truck carrying dried cassava chips, while heading to a national highway, fell off from the edge of a cliff in Gia Lai's Dak Doa district at around 2 a.m. local time, the Vietnam News Agency cited local authorities as reporting. Among the wounded, one was discharged from hospital and two were still being treated, according to the report. An investigation into the cause of the accident was underway. In 2021, a total of 11,454 traffic accidents took place in Vietnam, mostly road accidents, killing over 5,700 people and injuring nearly 8,000 others, according to the country's General Statistics Office. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. A week-long mission effort in Jinja, Uganda has been yet another success story for African Enterprise. A variety of methods were successfully used to engage with the community, including going door to door, street evangelism and a targeted leadership event. The mission combined leaders from many denominations to promote their goal of unity in the body of Christ. Over 400 evangelists were trained to participate. Church leaders came together to hold a targeted TV broadcast, in which they were able to discuss why unity in the church is so important. Perhaps some of the most impressive outcomes came from going door to door. In just 6 days, evangelists were able to reach 30,552 people! They also employed methods such as street evangelism and mobile trucks, where public address systems were used in open air to broadcast the gospel message. Preachers travelled alongside and were on standby to pray with anyone who accepted the alter call. A leadership event hosted by community leaders attracted a large number of attendees from Jinja. The theme was centered around how to be a leader of integrity in this era. At the conclusion of the event, 5 leaders accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Most notably was the Mayor of Jinja himself, Mr. Kaslo Alton Okocha. Encouraging numbers of people were reached through mass media. Mobile trucks are estimated to have connected with 250,000 people throughout the mission. The street ministry engaged with approximately 70,000 and TV with another 15,000. These figures demonstrate the ability to evangalise safely during COVID. The message was shared with enormous numbers of people in a way that didnt require mass gatherings. Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, God continues to equip us with new and innovative ways of making sure we can share the gospel, and have an effective impact on our communities. Feel, if you will I stood reflective of how my day went and choked on my smile. I wanted to laugh, but I had gotten so habituated to pain that when joy found me, the reality of my past made it impossible to appreciate what my future would become. Why couldnt I just be happy? This was an answered prayer. I had to repeat it to myself and allow the thrill of laughter to rush from my belly and out of my lips. I laughed, I laughed loudly and shouted praises. Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever felt like you did not deserve something, even though you had prayed for it? You know what God says in His Word.You knew that because you prayed and believed according to Mark chapter 11, verse 24. Yet, when it did, there you were; stuck in the dark cloud of disappointment because you were too afraid to let the sun hit your skin. Gods Providence I thought about something I had seen re-posted and shared on social media where one preacher sought to explain Gods providence. The part that resonated with me the most from the message was when she said Gods providence goes before you. It is seen when he speaks your name in a room of opportunity you were too afraid to step in... Hes already whispered your name to an employer for a job you didn't even know you needed. What I did not know was that my husband had been praying for both of us to get new jobs. Imagine my surprise when a recruiter reached out to me asking if I would consider a job in a company, I was too afraid to apply to. Fast forward to two weeks later, I was sitting in an interview. The manager asked me why I applied, I gathered myself and responded I did not. I merely spoke about the job, and someone reached out to me about it. Its like when you say you feel for pizza and then all these ads keep popping up on social media with all the best pizzas in town. She laughed. Two weeks after that meeting I was offered a position. The same one I never knew I could ever get. And I could hear the aforementioned preachersay,Gods providence is Jeremiah chapter 29, verse 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Time and season Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1 to 8 breaks it down for us clearly. To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; While we often hear words like its okay not to be okay or cry if you must we seldom hear anyone telling another personLaugh if you feel like it; scream if you must. It could be that we would never fathom someone could want to conceal joy. Yet, there were. And hope maketh not ashamed; (Romans chapter 5 verse 5a). But if we can be honest with ourselves, many a times it seemed like it made more sense to cripple the idea of miniscule hope than to set ourselves up for disappointment. Isnt that what the Shunammite woman did in 2 Kings chapter 4 verse 16? It was not that she doubted Elisha.In her finite wisdom, she sought to protect herself from heartbreak. What if she got her hopes up, believed, then next year came and there was no son? Please, man of God,she retorted, dont deceive me and get my hopes up like that. What if we made our bed with pain, and agony for so long, bounded by familiarity, we now reject joy?What if we did not know how to respond to gentleness because all weve ever known was tough love? Break free Feel what you feel, but dont let it control you. I reckon that Jesus must have allowed Himself to smile, if only at how ludicrous it was to know that the same Peter who loved him so much that he cut off Malchus ear, would later deny him. Nothing was wrong with Peter being angry or afraid, it just got the better of him. And didn't Jesus also cry? John chapter 11 verse 35. Crying does not negate strength. But in the flesh, Jesus felt. I dare you to break free from emotional bondage and be liberated in emotional intelligence. Give yourself grace and feel what you feel. If your heart is breaking, there is no prize to the one who holds the pain in best. In the same way, if you experience some victory, celebrate your wins, however small you may think they are. Perhaps this lifes journey is not so much about becoming anything. Maybe it is about unbecoming everything that isnt really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place and feel what you really feel. The new year is here! First, let me do the customary and say Happy new year!! Good, now that that's ticked off, let us chat. So yes, the new year is here. As soon as a year approaches its end,were quick to ask, whats your new year resolution? We get so accustomed to setting resolutions in a new year that we get so heated; when at the end, the goals are unaccomplished. Make it visible I am in no way knocking all of you who do all this fancy stuffas a matter of fact the book of Habakkuk says we should write the vision and make it plain, And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. (Habakkuk chapter 2, verses 2-3) While, the scripture quoted above, may be seen as an encouragement to do vision boarding, let's be real and admit that; it does not always work for some or better yet, there is no one way in doing a vision board, Some may design a canvas, cut pictures from magazine and or newspaper that illustrate goals that you want to accomplish for the year/period ahead. While some, like myself, will just grab their journaling tools and write goals and ideas, they have in mind for the year down. The new year is, for some, a time/ a sign of newness; For others, perhaps based on the environment theyre in at the moment when it approaches and the type of year they previously had; it is not so much of a big deal, the end number just simply changes. The cliche reminder I know it's hard. However, I am that friend who wants to remind you, a bad day or experience does not mean a bad life. Whatever task you have planned for this calendar year stay committed regardless of the challenges you encounter; they are inevitable, they don't last forever. Get up, brush yourself and keep going. Keep going king; keep going queen! Be it friendships, work, school or whatever relationship it is, stay committed to whatever mission or task youve set Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians chapter 6 verse 9) Prioritize yourself While we are committed to others because we want to be there for them, to support and encourage them...Remember that you are human too and you need time for yourself and God. Free yourself from the shackles of feeling bad for not being there for someone, a task or event. Do not be sorry for these according to Zhara-Marie Henry; paraphrased by the writer: 1. Prioritizing your spiritual growth: Just as your physical body needs food and the different vitamins for strength; so, does your spiritual aspect of yourself. 2. Doing what's best for you in a season: Some people will not understand why it is that you do what you do; still do you, regardless. 3. Your feelings: If your mind is not well. You can't physically do well. Your feelings matter 4. Wanting alone time: It is okay to take a break. Matter a fact, if the creator of the earth rested, why should you not; too? 5. Your opinions: what you have to say matters, your insight and your perspective; speak up, speak up! Do it for you While I am all about sharing, I am strongly for not pouring from an empty cup. It is okay to be selfish for your own good. Taking care of yourself is important and even Jesus spoke to this. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. (St. Mark chapter 6, verse 31). As I close, for today upon reflection, I came across this article, that perfectly aligns with this article and I wish to leave solo tips here from the recommended article Practice mindfulness, embrace change, have faith in yourself, slow down, commit to meeting your personal needs, focus on not just your to do but also a to be list, take breaks from the noisy world, accept where you are, recognise that it is okay to not always be okay and finally keep things in perspective! [10 Positive things to do for yourself in the new year, Lori Deschene; Tiny Buddha] I hope you find this insightful and will put at least one tip into action. Do not be unkind, but it is time to be your own cheerleader while being the same for others, create healthy practices, for you just as much and stick to the mission. Lithuania should stop malicious hype against China: FM spokesperson Xinhua) 08:41, February 09, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that Lithuania should stop engaging in malicious hype and asking others to join its acts against China. According to media reports, the Lithuanian foreign minister said in an interview that the main topic of his upcoming visit to Australia would be how Lithuania and Australia can help each other to deal with China's "coercion" and trade sanctions. At a daily press briefing, spokesperson Zhao Lijian responded that when it comes to the problems of China-Lithuania relations, the rights and wrongs of the situation are quite clear. It is completely reasonable and lawful for China to make responses to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests and international justice, he added. Zhao said that China always acts in accordance with the World Trade Organization rules, while the claims about the so-called "coercion" of Lithuania by China are baseless. Lithuania should face facts, correct its mistakes and return to the right track of adhering to the one-China principle, the spokesperson said. "Lithuania should stop confusing right with wrong and cease its malicious hype, let alone trying to get other nations to join its acts against China," said Zhao. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) China to enhance regulation of off-campus tutoring Xinhua) 09:15, February 09, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China will enhance its regulation of off-campus tutoring by stepping up legislation and enhancing supervision, said the Ministry of Education in its 2022 work plan. According to the plan, posted on its official website on Tuesday, the ministry will conduct regular inspections on national holidays, at weekends, as well as in winter and summer vacations. Any off-campus tutoring activities featuring curriculum subjects during these periods will be shut down, said the ministry. The ministry emphasized in the plans the necessity to advance legislation in regulating such tutoring activities. It also noted that it will guide local education authorities to categorize off-campus tutoring institutions by subjects, and clarify supervision responsibilities, according to the plans. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) The former Days Inn in Hartford's South Meadows will become an emergency shelter for men. (Kenneth R. Gosselin) Hartford An emergency shelter for men in downtown Hartford could open as early as this spring in a new location in the citys South Meadows but the shelter will keep the name it has had for more than three decades. The Community Renewal Team, the longtime operator of the Stewart B. McKinney Mens Emergency Shelter on Huyshope Avenue, has purchased the former Days Inn hotel on Brainard Road for $3.4 million and plans about $1 million in renovations, said Lena Rodriguez, CRTs president and chief executive. Advertisement The hotel near Hartford-Brainard Airport will be more suited to the evolving thought that emerged during the pandemic around how best to help people experiencing homelessness, Rodriguez said. With the onset of the coronavirus, shelters nationwide dispersed those in their care to hotels to separate them to stop the spread of COVID-19, Rodriguez said. Advertisement The McKinney Shelter, at 34 Huyshope Ave., in Hartford's Sheldon/Charter Oak neighborhood has served men experiencing homelessness for more than three decades. (Nina Cochran / Hartford Courant) Shelter operators, however, also found it was a better arrangement to work with those seeking their help when there were fewer people in one location, Rodriguez said. It gives us an opportunity to care for people in a private setting as opposed to one big room, a congregate setting with beds all around, Rodriguez said. Were able to treat people and serve them in a different way. The city-owned McKinney Shelter building was located in a former firehouse in the old style of large rooms near the Colt complex. The building needed renovations, particularly to bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Stewart B. McKinney Shelter closed early in the pandemic. (Brad Horrigan/The Hartford Courant) Early in the pandemic, the shelter relocated to the Best Western hotel, also on Brainard Road, next to the Days Inn. About a year ago, CRT began negotiating to purchase the Days Inn, a deal it completed in December. The project is being financed with a combination of funding from the state Department of Housing and the city. Although the new shelter is outside the downtown area, Rodriguez said the former hotel is on a bus line. Rodriguez said the converted hotel will have 78 beds, down from the previous 100, and at least for the time being will continue to solely shelter men. There will be on-site mental and physical health services; adult education, job training programs and a commercial kitchen, Rodriguez said. Advertisement The case management is much more intense and theres a great level of accountability on the part of the folks to work on goals that are set where we do provide case management, Rodriguez said. And having people on site providing these services actually serves people better. A sign on the door of the Days Inn in Hartford's South Meadows Tuesday announces the end of the building's use as a hotel. (Kenneth R. Gosselin / The Hartford Courant) News @3 Daily Catch up on the days top headlines sent directly to your inbox weekdays at 3 p.m > Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said Tuesday he believes the new approach will be more effective in helping people experiencing homelessness get in transitional housing. Obviously during the pandemic, moving toward single or double rooms and away from congregate shelters had the advantage of being better and healthier, Bronin said. But it also has the advantage of helping those we serve transition more effectively towards independence. Bronin said the city is exploring new uses for the old firehouse. Rodriguez said it was important for the McKinney name to come to the location in one form or another. McKinney, a Connecticut congressman who died in 1987, championed what at the time was the first significant legislation to address homelessness. Advertisement Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com TORONTO Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stood firm against an easing of the countrys COVID-19 restrictions Wednesday in the face of mounting pressure from protesters using trucks to blockade the capital and U.S. border crossings, including the economically vital bridge to Detroit. A growing number of Canadian provinces have moved to lift some of their precautions as the omicron surge levels off, but Trudeau defended the measures the federal government is responsible for, including the one that has angered many truck drivers: a rule that took effect Jan. 15 requiring truckers entering Canada to be fully vaccinated. Advertisement The reality is that vaccine mandates, and the fact that Canadians stepped up to get vaccinated to almost 90%, ensured that this pandemic didnt hit as hard here in Canada as elsewhere in the world, Trudeau said in Parliament in Ottawa. A small line of semi-trailer trucks line up along northbound I-75 in Detroit as the Ambassador Bridge entrance is blocked off for travel to Canada on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Ryan Garza/AP) The country has been beset in recent weeks by protests against COVID-19 restrictions and against Trudeau himself. Advertisement A blockade by people mostly in pickup trucks entered its third day at the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. Traffic was prevented from entering Canada, while some U.S.-bound traffic was still moving. The bridge carries 25% of all trade between Canada and the U.S., and Canadian lawmakers expressed increasing worry about the economic effects. They are essentially putting their foot on the throat of all Canadians, Federal Emergency Preparedness Minister Federal Bill Blair said. They are cutting off essential supply lines. Also, protesters have been blocking the border crossing at Coutts, Alberta, for a week and a half, with about 50 trucks remaining there Wednesday. And more than 400 trucks have paralyzed downtown Ottawa, Canadas capital, in a protest that began late last month. While protesters have been calling for Trudeaus removal, most of the restrictive measures around the country have been put in place by provincial governments. Those include requirements that people show proof-of-vaccination passports to enter restaurants, gyms, movie theaters and sporting events. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec and Prince Edward Island announced plans this week to roll back some or all of their precautions, with Alberta, Canadas most conservative province, dropping its vaccine passport immediately and getting rid of masks at the end of the month. Alberta opposition leader Rachel Notley accused Alberta Premier Jason Kenney of allowing an illegal blockade to dictate public health measures. Despite Albertas plans to scrap the public health measures, the protest there continued. Advertisement Weve got guys here -- theyve lost everything due to these mandates and theyre not giving up, and theyre willing to stand their ground and keep going until this is done, said protester John Vanreeuwyk, a feedlot operator from Coaldale, Alberta. He added: Until Trudeau moves, we dont move, As for the Ambassador Bridge blockade, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said police had not removed people for fear of inflaming the situation and causing a larger protest. But he added: Were not going to let this happen for a prolonged period of time. Police said the demonstration involved 50 to 74 vehicles and about 100 protesters. Some of the protesters say they are willing to die for their cause, according to the mayor. Ill be brutally honest: You are trying to have a rational conversation, and not everyone on the ground is a rational actor, Dilkens said. Police are doing what is right by taking a moderate approach, trying to sensibly work through this situation where everyone can walk away, nobody gets hurt, and the bridge can open. At a news conference in Ottawa that excluded mainstream news organizations, Benjamin Dichter, one of the protest organizers, said: I think the government and the media are drastically underestimating the resolve and patience of truckers. Advertisement Drop the mandates. Drop the passports, he said. The freedom truck convoy has been promoted by Fox News personalities and attracted support from many U.S. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who called Trudeau a far left lunatic who has destroyed Canada with insane Covid mandates. News @3 Daily Catch up on the days top headlines sent directly to your inbox weekdays at 3 p.m > Pandemic restrictions have been far stricter in Canada than in the U.S., but Canadians have largely supported them. Canadas COVID-19 death rate is one-third that of the U.S. About 90% of truckers in Canada are vaccinated, and trucker associations and many big-rig operators have denounced the protests. The U.S. has the same vaccination rule for truckers entering the country, so it would make little difference if Trudeau lifted the restriction. Interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen said in Parliament that countries around the world are removing restrictions and noted that Canadian provinces are, too. She accused Trudeau of wanting to live in a permanent pandemic. Many of the reasons previously used to keep Canadians under restrictions to are vanishing before our eyes, she said. The prime minister needs to put his ego aside. He needs to do whats right for the country. He needs to to end the mandates. He needs to end the restrictions. Advertisement Ontario, Canadas largest province with almost 40% of the countrys population, is sticking to what it calls a very cautious stance toward the pandemic, and the deputy premier said it has no plans to drop vaccine passports or mask requirements. Garrett Buchanan drove 10 hours from High Prairie in northern Alberta to join the protest and said he is staying until their demands are met. Yeah until the mandates get dropped, and if they can work on getting (Trudeau) out, Id stay longer for that, too, he said. A UConn students demonstration claiming that the university mishandled its investigation into her alleged sexual assault has brought scrutiny to the universitys treatment of survivors and the process by which reports of sexual misconduct are managed. Advertisement Following the demonstration, UConn interim President Dr. Radenka Maric said in a statement Sunday that she wants to assess educational programs for students, how victims of sexual violence are supported and the universitys processes in cases of sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Marics statement came three days after a student stood in the rain on campus holding a sign that said she was sexually assaulted and UConn silenced me. The student claims an invalidating investigation into her report was marked by opacity and a lack of communication, and that she was pressured to accept its verdict that the accused student was not in violation. Advertisement An Instagram post by an account called uconndobetter sharing a photo and support for the student has garnered more than 70,000 likes since Feb. 4, and sparked protests at the university including one in the student union attended by several students holding signs of support and demanding action. Now, the student is calling for an overhaul of how the administration handles reports, communicates with survivors and emphasizes mental health resources. (The Courant is not naming the student and generally does not name survivors of sexual assault.) And for students, my main message is looking at yourself and seeing if youre being a bystander, the student said. Its just that one minute where you think, Oh, I dont need to say anything, that could be the one time that you do need to say something. The university also said in a statement that, while it cannot discuss specific cases or individuals, UConn is committed to providing a safe, supportive environment on all our campuses and has a range of strategies and practices in place to further that mission. UConn will always do its best in terms of education and awareness; holding those found responsible for misconduct accountable; focusing on the impact of trauma on mental health; and responsiveness to survivors, the statement reads. An invalidating process In an interview with The Courant, the student said that the incident occurred at an off-campus party last summer at a house associated with a fraternal organization. The student said she filed three reports to three different university websites three days later. A portion of the final report shared with The Courant by the student shows that UConns Office of Community Standards received an incident referral report on Aug. 29. Kim Colon, assistant director of Community Standards, was assigned as case manager on Aug. 31. In a statement, the university outlined what it describes as a trauma-informed approach to handling reports of sexual misconduct, granting survivors the choice of whether or not to move forward with an investigation. Advertisement The student said staff with UConns Office of Institutional Equity repeatedly asked her whether she was sure she wanted to pursue an investigation, suggesting she should take her schoolwork and mental health into account. The questioning nearly discouraged her from continuing with the process, she said. The student filed a formal complaint on Sept. 10, and the university opened a Title IX investigation. Nearly one month later, the investigation was moved out of the Title IX process because the incident did not occur within the Universitys programs or activities, according to the final report. According to new Title IX guidelines, property owned and operated by fraternal organizations that are not formally recognized by the university are not covered by Title IX rules. The only recognized housing for UConn fraternities and sororities is in Husky Village, according to Stephanie Reitz, a university spokesperson. The university can, however, review violations under its student code of conduct. State police have jurisdiction over off-campus criminal misconduct. Reitz said the option to open a police an investigation is offered to those reporting sexual assault. The student said the following weeks were marked by repeated interviews as Colon questioned her and her friends who also attended the August party, as well as the accused student. Advertisement The process was invalidating, the student said. Every time [Colon] questioned me, it felt like I was lying, she said. It was very difficult, the way the system operated. The student said she sent Colon an email in early December to ask if there were any updates, and learned that her case had been closed since Nov. 12. The report was completed on Nov. 23, according to the final report, which found that there was insufficient evidence to indicate a violation of The Student Code. What occurred based on each partys statements is discrepant, the report reads. The student said she was shocked and dismayed to see her report reduced to a he said, she said. Several students have reached out to her to share that their cases ended the same way. She was given three business days to decide whether she wanted to agree to the reports findings, or advance to a hearing where the case would be considered by other officers a process she said she was told could take months, only to end with the same result. The student said she didnt respond within that time frame, bringing the case to a close. That was a big decision, I couldnt make that decision in three days, she said. There was never any sense of empathy either, that I had just completely lost my case. Advertisement The student learned of the investigations findings shortly before winter break, which she spent thinking about what action to take next. What am I going to do thats going to be able to reach the most people and cause the most chaos? she said. After a recent protest at the student union, a handful of other protests led by student organizations and supportive peers followed. Previous complaints UConn has been criticized for its handling of reports of sexual assault before. In 2014, UConn reached a settlement agreement to pay $1.3 million to five women who alleged that their claims of sexual assault were not taken seriously. The university adamantly denied any wrongdoing. In a statement, it said the settlement was reached to avoid the lengthy and expensive process of litigating the dispute claims at trial. The complex, lengthy investigative process was also a point of contention for a male student accused of sexual misconduct in 2019. Advertisement In a federal lawsuit, the student, who was only identified as John Doe, claimed the university only informed him of the complaint five months after it was made and did not give him an opportunity to present a defense. UConn later agreed to grant that student a second hearing, which avoided the possibility of placing the universitys protocols under federal scrutiny. In UConns federally mandated 2021 Clery Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, nine incidents of sexual assault were reported in 2020. Six of those were reported to have occurred on campus property. Eighty incidents of sexual assault were reported in total to UConn in 2020, according to the universitys latest annual report to the state. Thirty-four were reported to have occurred in that year, and 22 named an alleged violator connected to UConn. The university noted that these annual reports have far broader parameters and therefore larger numbers than those found in the Clery report. Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > They include incidents with no connection to UConn, incidents that occurred before the reporting year, or other circumstances that prevent UConn from intervening in an enforcement role, according to a statement. Advertisement Those reports led to three investigations, all of which found either no violation or that the university was not responsible. Of the remaining 19 reports, 10 complainants chose not to pursue an investigation with the university, according to UConns Office of Institutional Equity. UConn no longer had jurisdiction in six other cases, according to the office, and three more didnt proceed because they were made by an unknown complainant. In a message sent to the UConn community Sunday evening, Maric issued the request for help in assessing the universitys practices. In the same manner with which I participated in the Presidents Task Force for Mental Health and Wellness and the Climate Action Task Force, I have asked Dean of Students Elly Daugherty to join me in bringing together students, staff, and faculty to assess our current educational programs for students (including orientation and online trainings), how we support victims of sexual violence, and the universitys processes regarding sexual assault and intimate partner violence, Maric wrote. No one should stand alone. To me, that is the unresolved question for our university: What more must we do to support victims and increase education and awareness throughout our community? she wrote. Seamus McAvoy may be reached at smcavoy@courant.com George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four is a cautionary tale of dystopian superstates. Published in 1949, the book speculated how the world might be in 35 years, while also commenting on the Soviet Union. Here are some of the reasons we believe the books warnings about authoritarianism are coming true. Advertisement In 1984, the government of Oceania, a superstate, seeks power entirely for its own sake. An official admits, We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. Power over their own citizens, the kind that the pandemic has highlighted with countries like China and France, allowing citizens out of their homes only with a special exemption. Meanwhile, authoritarian countries like Thailand, Turkey, Hungry and Venezuela, maintain heavy-handed control of their populations, denying citizens a public forum to object to policy. Pure power is intoxicating. Advertisement Theres state violence, too. Orwell writes, If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever. In France, police in balaclavas and no identification have used excessive force, firing explosive tear gas grenades at peaceful protesters, blinding some. Charred houses sit in ash between the trees in Mwe Tone village of Pale township in the Sagaing region, Myanmar on Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022. Mwe Tone was one of two villages residents and Myanmar news outlets said were burned down Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, by soldiers they believe were looking for members of an armed militia opposed to the military government that seized power in February last year. (AP Photo) (AP) In Myanmar, the military seized power and has conducted a harsh crackdown on the Rohingya minority population, causing them to flee. And grim prisons such as Irans Evin and Syrias Sednaya stand as infamous monuments to everyday state violence. In 1984, Orwell describes a well-organized propaganda machine to ensure the governments control of the superstate. He writes that control requires tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your choosing. Russias use of propaganda enabled its little green men to subdue Crimea with barely a shot fired. Likewise, China has kept its grip on power over information access, like erasing the reality of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. In Oceania, the Ministry of Truth tirelessly rewrites history, ensuring that the past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became the truth. In some countries today, Orwells book itself is erased, scrubbed from the internet in China. So, too, in the politics of the United States, some officials have insisted on alternative facts, endorsing the spurious mantra stop the steal to advance the untruth of the 2020 presidential election results being illegitimate. Opinion Weekly Perspective on the week's biggest stories from the Courant's Opinion page > As for revisionist history in the name of censorship, that has been a millennia-long tendency. This is why the U.S. Congress investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, assault of the Capitol matters. Orwell writes that if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought, an insight that spurs Oceania to employ doublethink and newspeak in its messaging. Maybe thats why, in the United States, researchers have found significant differences in how the political parties express themselves. Advertisement Some social media shape the news, repeating messages, using information selectively, to keep the political base attentive. It works. Some governments have always been effective at understanding the power of those messaging dynamics. Especially autocracies, where untruths can be put to use. As for Orwells depiction of avaricious Big Brother, it is a jealous master: There will be no love, except the love of Big Brother. What we remember of 1984 is the TV screen in the rooms corner, with Big Brother watching and speaking. Its commonplace today that surveillance cameras watch us all the time. But less appreciated is that personal assistants, like Alexa and Siri, are watching and listening. And reporting to, if not Big Brother, certainly Big Tech. Along with social medias insinuation into our lives has come the vacuuming of mammoth amounts of data readily available for commodification, monetization and social control. Martin Cohen is a philosophy instructor and author of several books. Keith Tidman is an author of essays on social and political opinion. In this January 2020 file photo, Richard J. Colangelo Jr., then a candidate for Chief State's Attorney, was interviewed by members of the Division of Criminal Justice Committee (not pictured) at the Legislative Office Building. (Brad Horrigan/The Hartford Courant) Embattled Chief States Attorney Richard J. Colangelo Jr. agreed to resign on Wednesday, amid mounting pressure over an alleged patronage hiring. In a letter submitted to the Criminal Justice Commission, Colangelo said that he would retire March 31. Advertisement I want to thank Mr. Colangelo for doing the right thing today, under very difficult circumstances, Supreme Court Justice Andrew McDonald, the commission chairman, said during a special meeting of the commission at the Office of the Chief States Attorney in Rocky Hill. During the remainder of his time in office, Colangelo will work solely on administrative duties and will not prosecute or investigate any further cases, McDonald said. Advertisement The commission also approved the appointment of John J. Russotto as acting Chief States Attorney, effective April 1, until the commission appoints a successor to complete Colangelos term. Russotto has served as deputy chief states attorney for Personnel, Finance and Administration since 2004. Colangelo had been under fire for his decision to hire the daughter of a state budget officer from whom he was seeking raises for himself and other senior employees. Last week, U.S. Attorney Stanley A. Twardy Jr. hired by Gov. Ned Lamont late last year to investigate that decision released a report questioning Colangelos credibility. I want to indicate that after reading the Twardy report, that I found the conduct of the chief states attorney to be extremely disappointing and disturbing, commission member Scott Murphy, the former states attorney for the New Britain judicial district, said during the meeting. I am pleased that he has chosen to retire. It is the right thing for the Division of Criminal Justice. Murphy added that he was confident that if Colangelo had not chosen to retire, the commission would have begun proceedings to terminate him. While the governor does not have any appointing authority over the position of the chief states attorney, he believes Mr. Colangelos actions today are the right thing to do, a spokesperson for Lamont said Wednesday. In his resignation letter, Colangelo said that he did not plan to address the Twardy report, save to say that I vehemently disagree with many of its conclusions. I care too much about the Division to have the imbroglio over my efforts to ensure the very best are attracted to supervisory position to detract from the important work of the Division, he wrote. [ Lamonts call to fire chief states attorney could test cumbersome process for removal from office ] In the wake of Colangelos resignation, Claudine Fox, the public policy and advocacy director of the ACLU of Connecticut, urged state legislators to create real ethics and accountability mechanisms for States Attorneys, to prevent similar and worse misconduct from the most powerful prosecutors in the state. Advertisement Fox recommended the creation of legislation that would expand oversight over states attorneys, including by developing data-based performance evaluations and empowering the Criminal Justice Commission to discipline the chief states attorney. The mounting controversy surrounding Colangelo was complicated by the fact that the process to remove a chief states attorney is lengthy, relying on an esoteric series of regulations that have never been used in Connecticut. The power to remove a chief states attorney rests with the Criminal Justice Commission, which would serve as a judge and jury in a proceeding resembling an impeachment trial. Lamont told reporters last week that he would fire Colangelo if he could, saying, I have zero tolerance for this type of ethical malfeasance. The Twardy report investigated ethical or other improprieties regarding the hiring of Anastasia Diamantis the daughter of former deputy budget director Konstantinos Diamantis as executive assistant to the Chief States Attorney in the summer of 2020. A column last year in the Hartford Courant first drew attention to the hiring of the younger Diamantis, who was given a starting salary of about $99,000 more than most state prosecutors earn. Not long before she was hired, Colangelo had been pressing the elder Diamantis for raises for himself and senior prosecutors, arguing that salary scales for prosecutors were imbalanced, and that the disparities were hurting recruitment efforts. When Anastasia Diamantis applied for the executive assistant position at the Division of Criminal Justice, she had been working for about five years at the Department of Rehabilitation Services, and also had a part-time job at a construction management company, Construction Advocacy Partners. That company was involved in representing municipalities that used grant money distributed by the state Office of School Construction Grants and Review, which her father directed, to build schools. Advertisement Colangelo told the Courant last month that he never looked at her as a political hire and that her part-time job didnt raise any red flags for me. As chief states attorney, Colangelo was tasked with overseeing Connecticuts 13 States Attorneys and effectively oversaw the administration of Connecticuts criminal justice policies. Colangelo was appointed chief states attorney in January 2020, following the retirement of Kevin Kane, a well-respected career prosecutor. In 2021, Colangelo was reappointed for a five-year term. During the reappointment process last year, Criminal Justice Commission members raised concerns about tensions between Colangelo and Deputy Chief States Attorney Kevin D. Lawlor, who had also been a candidate for the top job. At the time, Colangelo reassured the commission that though there had been challenges, they had worked through them. Prior to becoming chief states attorney, Colangelo was the states attorney for the Stamford/Norwalk judicial district. He had been hired as an assistant prosecutor for the district in 1993 and became its top prosecutor in 2015, overseeing prosecutors in three courts and serving as the chief state law enforcement officer in eight Fairfield County municipalities. Courant staff writer Edmund H. Mahony contributed to this report. Eliza Fawcett can be reached at elfawcett@courant.com. Konstantinos Diamantis, the former deputy secretary of the Office of Policy and Management now at the center of a federal investigation, has filed a grievance naming Joshua Geballe and Paul Mounds, two of Gov. Ned Lamonts top lieutenants, and alleging mistreatment of his boss Melissa McCaw, among other complaints. Diamantis was fired from his OPM position at the end of October after administration officials learned that his daughter, Anastasia, had gotten a job with Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelos office while Colangelo was pressing Diamantis to help secure raises for his staff. Colangelo announced on Wednesday that he will resign, saying his last day will be March 31. Advertisement Federal authorities are now investigating the state-financed reconstruction of the State Pier in New London along with school construction grants overseen by Diamantis in his dual role as director of the Office of School Construction Grants and Review, a classified job with civil service protections. This is an action to seek some measure of justice for an outstanding public servant who had the courage to refuse to turn his head the other way and keep silent, attorney Zachary E. Reilands wrote in a 24-page grievance initially filed Nov. 28 on behalf of Diamantis and appealed Jan. 19 to the State Employee Review Board. Advertisement Both the grievance and the documents filed to support it are sealed, but the CT Mirror has obtained a copy of the complaint. [Diamantis] paid for speaking out against racial and gender injustice and cronyism by becoming the subject of Chief Operating Officer and Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Joshua Geballes and Chief of Staff Paul Mounds ire, Reilands wrote, referring to allegations by Diamantis that OPM Secretary McCaw, who is Black, was treated disrespectfully by Geballe and Mounds. The allegations in the grievance expand on comments Diamantis made in an emotional telephone interview with CT Mirror on the evening of Oct. 28, the day he was removed from his two state jobs. Diamantis said his removal was the consequence of a long-simmering power struggle between top Lamont aides and the Office of Policy and Management. Request to rescind retirement was denied The same day Diamantis was removed from the politically appointed OPM position, he was suspended with pay from his civil-service job overseeing school construction grants. Rather than accept the suspension, Diamantis retired. But within hours of doing so, he tried to rescind his retirement. Geballe denied his request, according to the grievance, saying that Diamantis hadnt resigned in good standing. Gov. Ned Lamont, foreground, and Josh Geballe. The grievance also states that Geballe refused to rescind the retirement because of Diamantis unprofessional conduct, specifically citing two inappropriate text messages Diamantis sent on the evening of Oct. 28. The first, to Mounds, read, Im coming / The truth is coming / Liars will come forward / Racists too. Advertisement Minutes later, he sent a text to Geballe that read: I hate liars and racists. In response to questions from the Mirror the Lamont administration released the following statement Tuesday afternoon. As a result of a preliminary review into the hiring of Mr. Diamantis daughter by the Division of Criminal Justice, the Office of the Governor determined that Mr. Diamantis should be removed from his appointed position as OPM Deputy Secretary and placed on paid administrative leave from his classified position of Construction Services Director of Project Management for the Office of School Construction Grants and Review pending the results of further investigation. Rather than meet with representatives of the Governors Office to discuss the matter, Mr. Diamantis chose to resign and retire from state service. In light of the preliminary review by the Governor Office and the resignation by Mr. Diamantis, the Governor directed OPM and DAS to end the MOU in place and move the authority of the Office of School Construction Grants and Review back to the DAS. Mr. Diamantis subsequently asked to rescind his resignation and DAS denied the request. In response to that decision, he filed a grievance. DAS and OPM denied the grievance and the matter is now before the Employees Review Board. The State denies all allegations in the grievance and will vigorously defend its actions. Because the matter is pending, and the filings remain confidential, we will have no further comment at this time. Attorney Norm Pattis, who is representing Diamantis, declined to comment Tuesday. OPM spokesman Chris McClure did not respond to requests for comment from McCaw. Subjected her to humiliation Diamantis grievance is pending before the state Employee Review Board. The boards chairman, Dennis C. Murphy, refused to comment when contacted by CT Mirror. Advertisement The board is part of DAS. In response to questions about the Diamantis grievance last Friday, DAS spokesman John McKay said, Under legal advisement, we cannot comment on grievances. Documents show Diamantis grievance has already been denied in two other closed sessions, before a DAS human resources officer and an arbitrator. The Employment Review Board is his last outlet under his state contract. The grievance before the board was filed on Jan. 19; Diamantis asked that it be kept confidential. In his grievance, Diamantis alleges that Geballe and Mounds held a grudge against him for speaking out about the way they and other commissioners treated McCaw. (Geballes mother, Shelley Geballe, a lawyer and professor of public health at Yale, is a founding board member of the nonprofit Connecticut News Project Inc., operator of CTMirror.org.) Geballe was openly disrespectful to her as a result and subjected the first black and female Secretary of OPM to humiliation, the grievance states. Geballes treatment of McCaw led to disrespect of the Secretary by other agency heads as the COO was leading by example. The OPM staff was very much aware that the COOs efforts, unobstructed by the COS Mounds, was to emasculate OPM as the policy and management arm of the administration. Advertisement Diamantis describes secretly listening, at McCaws request, to Zoom meetings with other commissioners and state officials so he could witness the treatment she was receiving. The Complainants attendance in these meetings was not known to Geballe, and the Complainant personally witnessed Geballes openly hostile, condescending, and abusive treatment of the Secretary, the grievance states. The grievance describes another Zoom meeting among state commissioners where McCaw addressed an unnamed commissioners abusive and disrespectful behavior toward the Secretary and charged it was rooted in racial discrimination/animus. The secretary respectfully expressed her discomfort with the treatment and requested that greater attention be given toward tone and professionalism in order to avoid making fellow employees uncomfortable, the grievance states. The document also describes an appearance that McCaw and Diamantis made before state legislators to discuss the budget, during which both were publicly berated by two unnamed legislators. Diamantis said he took aside one of the legislators he had known for years to admonish him for his treatment of McCaw. Advertisement Former DPH Commissioner Renee Coleman-Mitchell, who was fired in the middle of the pandemic in 2020, appeared on two radio programs in recent days talking about discord within the Lamont administration and suggested on WTIC-AM that it is probably pervasive. In an interview on WRDC-AM on Friday, she spoke of discriminatory bias in the administration. There are a good number of, specifically, Blacks in [Lamonts] administration It doesnt mean just because you have the numbers to reflect a certain population that that there isnt ill treatment. She said Diamantis made a clean statement on his way out, when he retired, saying he had never seen anyone treated in the manner in which his OPM secretary was treated by Joshua Geballe and Paul Mounds. But just because you have a diverse and high percentage of minority representation does not mean that there isnt poor treatment and hostility. Coleman-Mitchell made similar complaints about discriminatory and biased treatment in August 2020. Geballe announced on Feb. 1 that he is leaving state government for a position at Yale University. The next day, the Lamont administration revealed that a federal grand jury is investigating the state-financed reconstruction of the State Pier in New London and school construction grants overseen by Diamantis before he was fired. Advertisement [ Gov. Lamont blasts CT Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo: ...I dont hire him. I dont fire him. But if I did hed be gone ] Credibility questioned Federal authorities subpoenaed DAS on Oct. 20 seeking records for state contracts for school renovations, hazardous abatement disposal and the new State Pier in New London, along with emails and text messages involving, among others, Anastasia Diamantis and the school construction company where she worked part-time. That company got $1 million to be the states on-call company for school projects. The subpoenas specifically seek all of the elder Diamantis emails and text messages surrounding those projects. News of the federal investigation came on the same day the governors office released a report on an ethics investigation into Colangelos hiring of Anastasia while Colangelo lobbied her father for help in securing raises. Stanley A. Twardy Jr., a partner in the Day Pitney law firm and former U.S. attorney, was commissioned by the governors office to examine whether Colangelos hiring of Anastasia violated state ethics rules. Neither his inquiry nor his report dealt with the construction projects under review by the FBI. In his report, Twardy questioned the truthfulness of Colangelo, Kosta Diamantis and his daughter, each of whom were interviewed about how Anastasia met Colangelo and learned of the position in his office. Anastasia Diamantis was hired as an executive assistant on June 11, 2020. Based on the available evidence, we do not find credible the largely consistent accounts of Mr. Colangelo, Anastasia, and Mr. Diamantis concerning how Mr. Colangelo and Anastasia first met. Our conclusion that those individuals lack credibility concerning the straightforward question of how Mr. Colangelo and Anastasia first met casts doubt on the integrity of the circumstances surrounding Anastasias hiring with the Division, Twardy wrote. Advertisement Improper quid pro quo The documents also go into detail about Diamantis last day as a state employee Oct. 28, 2021. Diamantis said he was at the UConn Health Center with his gravely ill mother when McCaw called and asked him to come to her office. When he arrived, McCaw informed him that he was immediately terminated from his appointed position as OPMs deputy secretary and that he was being placed on paid administrative leave from his classified position as director of the Office of School Construction Grants pending an internal investigation. Diamantis had held the dual positions for nearly two years. McCaw told him that the misconduct investigation pertained to his daughters hiring as an executive assistant to the chief states attorney and that it was an improper quid pro quo arrangement, in which the chief states attorney would receive approval of a beneficial salary action by OPM and his daughter would receive the executive assistant position. Melissa McCaw, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, is the state budget director. (Brad Horrigan/Hartford Courant) Diamantis claims the combination of his mothers illness, the accusations made against him and his potential termination left him distraught and emotionally compromised. An hour later, he met with OPMs human resources officer to discuss which retirement benefits and possible payouts he would be owed depending on whether he retired or was fired. Advertisement At the same time Diamantis was reviewing his retirement papers, he received a letter from Lamont informing him he was relieved of his appointment at OPM. Diamantis then signed a letter of resignation and his retirement papers, according to the complaint. The grievance said the decision to resign cannot be separated from the surrounding circumstances. He was distraught, confused and overwhelmed by the fact that his 25 years of public service had inexplicably unraveled in less than two hours. Three hours later, Diamantis asked OPMs human resource director if he could rescind his resignation and submitted a letter to OPM officials asking to do so. The next day, OPM officials asked Diamantis to come to headquarters and sign more documents, even though he was trying to rescind his resignation, the grievance states. But that same day, Geballe denied his request to rescind his resignation, claiming that under state statutes Diamantis was not an employee in good standing and therefore wouldnt be rehired. Geballe also cited Diamantis unprofessional behavior from the day before in sending the inappropriate texts to Mounds and himself. The grievance also claims that Geballe did not have the authority to reject the request to have his resignation rescinded because McCaw was his direct boss. Last year, the coronavirus pandemic was a catalyst for a raft of health care reform proposals before the General Assembly, with lawmakers addressing everything from health equity measures to staffing and safety protocols in nursing homes. When this years legislative session begins Wednesday, some of that work will continue but on a pared-down schedule. The 2021 session was 22 weeks long; this years is just 12. Advertisement Its a very, very short session, House Speaker Matthew Ritter, a Hartford Democrat, said. Its going be very hard to get a lot of substantive legislation done if its not ready by sometime in mid-April. The ambitious health care agenda for this year includes a revival of bills tackling the high cost of prescription drugs, a plan to expand the states Medicaid program to older undocumented children, a controversial measure that would allow doctors to prescribe a lethal dose of medication to terminal patients and a ban on flavored vaping products. Advertisement One of the highest priorities is drafting and passing a sweeping bill that addresses the mental health crisis in Connecticut, especially among children. Emergency departments saw an overwhelming number of children seek psychiatric care as the toll of the pandemic fell on the states youngest residents over the past two years. Lawmakers are also exploring whether additional oversight is needed in signing off on mergers, acquisitions, closures and other changes across the health care industry. Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center recently sued Hartford HealthCare and its subsidiaries, including Hartford Hospital, claiming it is trying to create a monopoly on services by acquiring physician networks and demanding that they refer their patients only to Hartford HealthCare. The suit has prompted some lawmakers to consider whether legislative action is needed this session. Here are some of the top health care issues under consideration by legislators this year. Aid in dying Proponents of a bill that would allow terminally ill patients to access lethal drugs are hoping the measure will get a vote in the House and Senate this year. Last year, the legislation made it out of the Public Health Committee for the first time, though it failed to advance beyond the Judiciary Committee. Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, House Chair of the Legislature's Public Health Committee, speaks at a press conference in 2020 at the Legislative Office Building. Photo by Brad Horrigan | bhorrigan@courant.com (Brad Horrigan / Hartford Courant) State Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, a longtime supporter of the proposal and a co-chair of the health committee, said he is making a hard push for votes in both chambers. Steinberg is considering not seeking re-election this year after six terms in the General Assembly, and the aid in dying bill has been a key priority for him. Its certainly something Id like to see done on my watch, he told the CT Mirror. But Im not exactly sure how long my watch is going to last. Leaders of the Public Health Committee consider it their No. 1 issue this session, he said. Advertisement Under last years bill, an adult patient with a terminal illness having six months or less to live would have been able to access lethal drugs by making two oral requests, at least 15 days apart, and one written request. The written request would have to be done in the presence of two witnesses who could attest that the patient is of sound mind and acting voluntarily. A physician would prescribe or dispense the medication, and the patient would self-administer the drug. Requests for the medication may be rescinded by the patient at any time without regard to his or her mental state, according to the measure. A doctor would have to refer the patient to another consulting physician for medical confirmation of the persons diagnosis and for confirmation that the patient is competent and acting voluntarily. Legislative leaders say that while attitudes are shifting and the bill has gained favor among lawmakers in recent years, its still unclear whether it will have enough support to win votes in the House and Senate. Medicaid expansion Last year, the legislature approved a measure allowing children 8 years old and younger, regardless of their immigration status, to qualify for Connecticuts Medicaid program, known as HUSKY, beginning on Jan. 1, 2023. Advertisement Children must come from households earning up to 323% of the federal poverty level to qualify for coverage. Thats an income of $41,603 for a household of one or $85,595 for a household of four. The plan also extends prenatal care to women, regardless of immigration status, whose household income is between 196% and 318% of the federal poverty level, and up to a year of postpartum care for women whose household income is at or below 263% of the FPL. This year, some lawmakers want to widen that eligibility further, extending HUSKY coverage to all children regardless of immigration status up to age 18. You have so many children who are without health care being brought to emergency rooms, because thats the default care mode for people who dont have insurance of any kind. And thats really not the most efficient form of care, Senate President Pro Tem Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said. We would like to expand [coverage] beyond the age of 8 and get as close to age 18 as we possibly can. Thats certainly a priority. Health care consolidations With the Saint Francis/Hartford HealthCare lawsuit in the spotlight, some legislators are weighing whether to draft a bill that would bring additional state oversight to mergers, closures, acquisitions and other changes in the health care system. Advertisement Connecticut currently has a Certificate of Need program that requires certain providers to get state approval for mergers, substantial investments in new equipment or facilities, halting a medical service or changing access to a service. But Sen. Matthew Lesser, a co-chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, said he and others want to review the process to see if more oversight or protections are needed. There is going to be a lot of attention on service cuts and growing consolidation in the industry. The Saint Francis/Hartford HealthCare litigation is something were going to be looking at but also some of the growing market forces that have changed the delivery method and could adversely impact consumers and providers, Lesser said. We have a [Certificate of Need] process thats designed to ensure resources are distributed adequately, but Im not sure that process alone, especially as its used currently, is really adequate to ensure competition. St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, has sued Hartford HealthCare for anticompetitive practices. The lawsuit filed by Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center accuses Hartford HealthCare of buying physician practices with the predatory intent of controlling the referrals that feed patients to its hospitals, surgical centers and other affiliates. Saint Francis says Hartford HealthCares practices took away its major referrers of cardiac cases and produced a stunning migration of physicians a 25% increase in Hartford HealthCares staff in just two years. Hartford HealthCare has said the suit is without merit. Lesser did not specify what the potential legislation would do, saying its too early to elaborate on a strategy. Advertisement Childrens mental health Legislators have described the mental health crisis among children as the one of the most pressing priorities this session. They are crafting what is expected to be an omnibus bill that ties in myriad proposals, from recruitment and retention efforts in the field to resources in schools and hospitals. Part of the effort involves creating a grant program so schools can develop their own initiatives tailored to each district or facility and apply for funding to support those endeavors. State Rep. Liz Linehan pointed to a school district in Waterbury that has a team of people who go door to door to assess student needs and help children struggling with absences get the support they need to return to school. Another district might develop a similar program or focus on one-on-one support for students within school buildings, she suggested. Legislators have not settled on a figure for how much funding would be included in the grant program. Advertisement The bill would also include incentives to help with recruitment and retention of mental health providers. It could look like the ability to have sign-on bonuses or ensuring there is enough support staff in facilities, so providers feel they have a good system working for them, Linehan said. Lawmakers will seek input from people working in the field and incorporate those recommendations into the proposal. The measure is expected to tie in several other provisions, including support for pediatricians, who are often childrens first point of contact in the health care system, and mental health education for school administrators. A draft of the bill is expected to be made public during the first few weeks of the session. Flavored vaping Advocates are pushing for a revival of a measure that would ban the sale of flavored vaping products in Connecticut. The proposal has been introduced in recent years but failed to win passage. A group of legislators and health advocates, including Public Health Committee vice chair Sen. Julie Kushner, called on Gov. Ned Lamont to include the prohibition in the package of bills he submits to the General Assembly this year. Advertisement Backers of the legislation said the state stands to lose only $2.5 million per year in revenue from banning the flavored products. Republican health care bills Republican legislators have proposed their own package of reforms aimed at reducing health care costs. Advertisement Included in the plan is a proposal to use reinsurance, a program that would pick up a portion of residents health care costs rather than having insurance companies pay, which leads to lower premiums. They also recommended cost growth benchmarking developing a statewide target for the rate of growth of total health care expenditures. The benchmarking policy was designed to enhance the transparency of the states health care system and identify health care cost drivers, they wrote in the proposal. The package also features plans to address the high cost of prescription drugs, such as exploring manufacturing rebates and how those savings can be passed on to patients. Republicans have also released their own outline for upcoming legislation that tackles the mental health crisis. Health care is anything but affordable. Cost growth is out of control. Premiums are often the size of a monthly mortgage payment. Drug prices are an enormous burden, said Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly, D-Stratford. All these factors weigh down family budgets and eat into savings, leaving Connecticut families struggling to make ends meet. Leora Levy, a Republican National Committee member from Greenwich, made a quiet entrance into the race for U.S. Senate on Tuesday, filing campaign papers with no broad public announcement. Her candidacy was first reported by Hearst Connecticut Media. Advertisement In an interview Wednesday, Leora told the CT Mirror her campaign and beliefs are informed by her experience as a Cuban whose family fled the Castro regime in April 1960. In this file photo in Cheshire, then Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Dan Carter, (at left), of Bethel, meets and greets constituents and volunteers at Cheshire Coffee. At right is Leora Levy, of Greenwich, the Connecticut Republican National Committeewoman and at center is Guy Darter, of Cheshire, chair of the Cheshire Republican Party. (Patrick Raycraft / Hartford Courant) It was two weeks after my third birthday. I just got my first tricycle. I remember vividly being told I could not bring my tricycle, nor my dog, to America, she said. That was my first lesson in Communism. Advertisement Levy is running as a conservative on social and foreign-policy issues. I have had a passion to serve and to make sure the United States of America never becomes a Communist country, she said. Levy, 65, became a candidate 10 days after a campaign announcement by former House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, who was endorsed Tuesday by the Connecticut State Police Union. Levy, a Trump supporter, was nominated as the U.S. ambassador to Chile in October 2019. Her nomination never came to a vote in the Senate. [ Potential Connecticut Republican primary for U.S. Senate looms as candidates seek delegate support ] She voted for a package of RNC resolutions Friday that included a censure of Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger and characterized the Jan. 6 riot as legitimate political discourse. Cheney and Kinzinger are the only Republicans on the congressional committee investigating the violent effort to halt the certification of Joe Biden as president. Levy said the package included a China reparations demand that she co-sponsored. Connecticuts other two RNC members, John Frey and Ben Proto, told the CT Mirror they voted against the Jan. 6 resolution and censure, which was denounced by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Senate Republicans. Advertisement Levy said she does not share Trumps view that the election of President Joe Biden was illegitimate, but she viewed the congressional investigation of Jan. 6 as unconstitutional. The rioters should be tried in the courts, she said. Cheney and Kinzinger, she said, are accomplices to a Democratic vendetta. She objected to Congress issuing subpoenas to individuals who did not actively participate in the assault. The subpoenas have gone to individuals who may have knowledge of Trumps actions or inactions on Jan. 6, as well as those who planned the assault. Advertisement Levy brings national fundraising contacts to the race but little experience as a candidate. She failed last summer to win the GOP nomination for state Senate in a special election won by Republican Ryan Fazio. The Republican nominee will face Democrat Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat seeking his third term in the Senate. Klarides announced her candidacy Jan. 30 on WTNH without a campaign organization in place. She created a campaign committee on Feb. 6. Peter Lumaj, the Republican nominee for secretary of the state in 2014 and a gubernatorial candidate who failed to qualify for the primary in 2018, also is running with a claim as being the most conservative. Two other Republicans, John Flynn and Robert Hyde, also have campaign committees. US, Australia to add more tensions in Pacific while China holds Olympics to promote world peace By Yang Sheng and Xu Yelu (Global Times) 09:33, February 09, 2022 Australia, US Illustration: Liu Rui/Global Times When China is holding the Olympic Winter Games in its capital city Beijing to bring more certainty to world peace, the US and its ally Australia are still ramping up tension in the Asia-Pacific by tightening alliances to serve military confrontation, as the top US diplomat visits Australia for the Quad foreign ministers' meeting and Australia's defense chief tries to push Washington to be more hostile and radical against China. Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton urged the US and its allies to be tougher on China after they "acquiesced and allowed" China's "expansion" in the South China Sea over the past decade. "If we continue on that trajectory, then I think we'll lose the next decade," Dutton said in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald published on Monday. "And my sense is that we're better off being honest about that." Dutton made the comment ahead of a planned Quad foreign ministers meeting in Australia which US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to attend. According to the website of the US State Department, in Australia on February 9-12, Blinken will attend the ministerial meeting, and will meet with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, as well as his counterparts from Japan, India and Australia. Chinese analysts said on Tuesday that Australia is no different from those US allies which act as nothing but US pawns on the geopolitical chessboard to provoke China. Since Canberra has bet too much on China-US confrontation, Australian politicians want the US to keep or even be more aggressive toward China rather than easing tension or seeking de-escalation, so their die-hard anti-China policy could remain useful for the US. But this is truly irresponsible and stupid because such moves would harm regional peace and could result in an arms race. The US will never take its "pawns" into consideration if it decides to change its policy or quit a game it finds it cannot win, experts said, noting that selfish Australian politicians like Dutton are just trying to gain more political capital by risking Australia's national security and interests. Anxious gamblers By complaining about the US, Dutton is trying to attract political attention by spreading fear by making nonsensical points, as he wants to challenge Morrison for the Liberal Party leadership, Chen Hong, a professor and director of the Australian Studies Centre, East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "The South China Sea has never been a core concern for Australia, and most Australian cargo ships that navigate the region are transporting goods between China and Australia, so how could China's construction and presence in the region affect Australia's interests and security?" Chen said. Dutton is trying to set a hawkish tone for the Quad foreign ministers' meeting even though he is a defense minister rather than a diplomat, Chen said. He noted that there are voices in Australia saying that Dutton should mind his own business and let more professional officials handle diplomacy. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis will also visit Australia during the Quad ministerial meeting and will meet Dutton, and according to reports from Lithuanian media, his trip is to seek more trade cooperation to "diversify its supply chain." Selfish and ignorant politicians like Dutton and the Lithuanian foreign minister are making their countries' diplomatic policies extremely ignorant and inflexible, as they are just like anxious gamblers who have bet too much of their own countries' interests on worsening China-US ties, said analysts. It was noted they have already sacrificed their countries' ties with China to serve as "pawns or barking dogs" to offend the country with the biggest, most dynamic and irreplaceable market in the world. "In fact, Australia and Lithuania share very limited complementarities, as the products they want to sell are mostly the same, such as alcohol like wines and beers. The decision-making of these stupid selfish politicians will continue incur losses for Australia and Lithuania," Chen noted. Although Japan and India are included in the US-led Quad alliance, Washington, Tokyo and New Delhi are at least able to keep effective communication channels with Beijing even when they also have their own problems with China, Chen said. "But Australia is the most radical and ignorant one in the Quad, so it wants to draw others into its pointless and hopeless fight with China, to make every one act as stupidly as it does." Troublemaker vs Peacemaker While China is hosting the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and has gained a series of diplomatic achievements with dozens of leaders from friendly countries and international organizations to boost certainty for world peace, the Quad meeting is more like a US-proposed event to increase the concerns about tensions and confrontations, which is opposite to the wishes for peace shared by the international community, said experts. Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Tuesday, "The Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games are a celebration that could greatly improve China's image, so the US is not willing to recognize China's credits." Lu Xiang, a research fellow with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that China has gained too many achievements in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic and holding the Winter Olympics amid the pandemic, all of which have made the US extremely anxious. "In the minds of some US politicians, they won't be happy when they see you're doing better jobs than them, they would be jealous and they will try everything they have to undermine your credits and achievements," he noted. The US-led "diplomatic boycott" has failed to bring any substantial impact and very few countries chose to take sides to follow the so-called boycott. The Quad is just another practice of forcing other countries to take sides between the US and China, Xin noted. China and Russia issued a joint statement on Friday, saying that the two countries stand against attempts by external forces to undermine security and stability in their common adjacent regions, intend to counter interference by outside forces in the internal affairs of sovereign countries under any pretext, oppose color revolutions, and will increase cooperation in the above-mentioned areas. Analysts said that the US-led alliances like the AUKUS and Quad, both including Australia, are exactly what the China-Russia joint statement said about "external forces to undermine security and stability in their common adjacent regions." AUKUS and Quad also bring concerns to other countries in the region by allowing nuclear proliferation and increasing tensions to boost arm races, and such harmful moves will eventually isolate the US, Australia and their allies who want to follow them. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Cut Bank, MT (59427) Today Mostly cloudy skies. High 61F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Overcast. Low 38F. E winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph. Lincoln, NE (68508) Today Cloudy and windy with periods of rain. High 44F. Winds NE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy. Periods of rain early. Low 39F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Higher wind gusts possible. Isle of Wight Sheriff's Capt. Tommy Potter said Preston Kyle Thomas has strong ties to the Peninsula, and investigators have largely focused their efforts there. It was Rakim Breedens first day on the job at an Isle of Wight County warehouse. The 26-year-old military police officer in the National Guard landed the job as a temporary worker at Safeco Products, at the Shirley T. Holland Intermodal Park near Windsor. Advertisement But Breeden accidentally knocked a co-workers cellphone off a ledge that September afternoon damaging the phone and spurring a heated argument between him and 24-year-old Preston Kyle Thomas, Isle of Wight sheriffs investigators say. (Isl;e ) Surveillance footage shows Thomas going to his car, then coming back inside. The two men exchanged more words during a break before Thomas pulled out a gun and shot Breeden several times, the sheriffs office says. Advertisement He died en route to the hospital. A Virginia State Police SWAT team surrounded Thomas apartment in Carrollton that night, but he wasnt there. And more than four months on, investigators are still trying to track Thomas down to charge him with murder. Rakim didnt bother people, said his mother, Mary Breeden, during an emotional news conference Tuesday at the Isle of Wight County Courthouse. Im asking, begging, pleading that anyone who knows anything that can help in any kind of way possible, please speak up. If you know the whereabouts of Preston Thomas, please speak up. The reward for information leading to Thomas arrest has been increased to $5,000 up from the standard $1,000, said Volpe Boykin, chairman of the Isle of Wight Crime Line. Electronic billboards are soon to be launched around Hampton Roads asking for help. I have a personal message to Mr. Thomas, Isle of Wight Sheriff James R. Clarke Jr. said. Turn yourself in, and peacefully. If you dont, we will not stop looking for you. We will find you, and you will answer to these charges of this senseless murder. Sheriffs Capt. Tommy Potter said Thomas has strong ties to the Peninsula, and investigators have largely focused tracking efforts there. Chance Lynch, an attorney working with the Breeden family, emphasized the killing took place while Breeden was going about his workday. Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > Its not a situation that happened out on the street, he said. Its not a situation that happened among gang members. Advertisement Aside from being in the National Guard, Lynch said, Breeden also held a psychology degree from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Rakim was an outstanding young man, Lynch said. This young man was trying to provide a life for himself to assist his mom. Mary Breeden said shes been recently fighting stage 4 breast cancer, and her son moved in with her in Hertford County, North Carolina, to help. That morning when he went to work, I was prepared to ask him, How was your day? as I always did, she said. Instead I get a phone call from his friend stating that hed been shot. Anyone with information about Thomas whereabouts is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, or to visit p3tips.com. Callers can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000. Peter Dujardin, 757-247-4749, pdujardin@dailypress.com A female red wolf emerges from her den sheltering newborn pups at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, N.C., on May 13, 2019. (Gerry Broome/AP) Nine of the worlds most endangered wolves will be released into the wild in North Carolina, a milestone for the species, which has spent decades teetering on the brink of extinction. The American red wolf population dwindled to only 14 wolves in the 1970s, and the only place the wolves live in the wild are along the Alligator River and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges in North Carolina, according to a news release from Zoo Knoxville. Advertisement Now, with the help of conservationists, theyre fighting to make a comeback. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP) and the Red Wolf SAFE Program have teamed up to plan the release of nine red wolves into their natural habitat in Alligator River and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges, according to the release. Advertisement The nine wolves include a family and two breeding pairs that are from five different facilities, including Zoo Knoxville in Tennessee, the release said. The nine wolves are in the first stage of their release, which will allow them to acclimate to the terrain before all fencing is removed from the area and they can roam the refuges, according to officials. Red wolves once occupied a large region between southern New York to central Texas before their population was driven close to extinction from overhunting and habitat loss, the USFWS said in a statement. By 1973, the species had been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > Once the population had shrunk to fewer than 15 total wolves in the wild, the USFWS began an effort to revive the population, according to Zoo Knoxvilles release. The department captured the last 14 wild wolves and established a breeding program. Four wolves from the program were reintroduced to the wild in 1987. Even with the conservation plan in place, the wolves remain in danger of extinction. The number of red wolves in the wild has once again dwindled to its lowest in years, at about 15 to 17 as of October, according to data from the USFWS. One decade ago, conservationists estimated there were about 120 red wolves in the wild. Over the years, conservationists have adjusted their game plan to find the best strategy for reinstating the wolves in the wild. The last release was in 2021, according to the USFWS. It is so inspirational to see our partners coming together to support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services efforts to save this national treasure. These releases highlight the important work zoos are doing to save our wildlife and wild places and gives me so much hope for the future of the American red wolf, Regina Mossotti, program leader for the Red Wolf SAFE Program, said in the release. One of the wolves scheduled for release, named Garnet, is from the Western North Carolina Nature Center and was brought to the center in 2018. The nature center shared their excitement for the wolves release. Advertisement Garnet is a magnificent wolf, and we hope he thrives in the wild, Animal Curator Erin Oldread said in a statement. There are 241 wolves captive and part of the species survival plan. New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will participate in the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting on February 11 in Melbourne, along with the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Japan and the United States, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed on Wednesday. Jaishankar will be paying an official visit to Australia from February 10-13 at the invitation of his Australian counterpart Marise Payne. The MEA release said that this will be his first visit as External Affairs Minister to Australia. It would be the first high-level visit to Australia from India after the opening of its borders which were closed following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. "It will be an opportunity for the Ministers to follow up on their virtual meeting held in February 2021 and exchange views on regional strategic issues given their shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. The Ministers will review ongoing Quad cooperation and build on the positive and constructive agenda announced by the Leaders at the two Summits in 2021, to address contemporary challenges such as the COVID pandemic, supply chains, critical technologies, climate change, infrastructure etc," the MEA said. EAM and Australian Foreign Minister will co-chair the 12th Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue on February 12. The Ministers will review the progress of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and discuss bilateral, multilateral and regional issues of mutual interest. On the same day, EAM will co-chair the inaugural Foreign Ministers' Cyber Framework Dialogue (FMCFD) with Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. The Ministers will assess the progress made towards implementation of the India-Australia Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation and the subsidiary Plan of Action which they signed in June 2020 on the sidelines of the Virtual Leaders' Summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Meetings for EAM are also scheduled with Australian political leaders, academics and businesses, as well as the Indian diaspora and students. Jaishankar would also be on a bilateral visit to the Philippines from February 13-15. This will be his first visit to the Philippines as External Affairs Minister. Muslim students hold placards as they shout slogans during a protest against banning Muslim girls wearing hijab from attending classes at some schools in Karnataka, in New Delhi, Feb. 8, 2022. (AP/Altaf Qadri) Bengaluru: The hijab-row triggered protests in Karnataka spread across the state on Tuesday, with campuses witnessing conflict-like situations marked by stone-pelting incidents, use of force by police and the Muslim girls standing their ground for wearing the headscarves, prompting calls for peace and calm both by the government and the High Court, which is now looking into the students' plea for their right to their hijab. As the issue snowballed into a major controversy, the government declared three days holidays for educational institutions across the state, even as voices across the country came in for and against the hijab issue. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: I appeal to all the students, teachers and management of schools and colleges as well as people of Karnataka to maintain peace and harmony. Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court also appealed to the students and people to maintain peace and tranquility and said only some mischievous people were keeping the issue burning. Hyderabad: Veteran journalist Nimmakayala Sriranganath ("Ranganath") breathed his last late Monday night. He was 80. He was briefly hospitalised for the last week, where he passed away. In his long, illustrious career, Sriranganath worked as a correspondent with the Telugu dailies Udayam and Vaartha, and headed the bureau at AP Times, a Hyderabad-based English daily. His last assignment was with Andhra Prabha as its network editor. Holding a strong Leftist political viewpoint all his life, Sriranganath was a close follower and aide of Tarimela Nagireddy. He did a free translation of Nagireddy's famed work India Mortgaged into Telugu, titled Taakattulo Bharatadesam, which was hailed as a great work. He also gave a large part of his time to trade union activities, before joining the mainstream media. An expert on the irrigation sector, particularly the delta system, Sriranganath also wrote investigative stories that led to corrections and improvement in the system. He mentored youth and trained several journalists. He was held in high esteem by people he interacted with as a journalist as well as by his fraternity, many of whom hold him as a great inspiration. With the belief that there is no retirement for a journalist, which was more just a profession but a lifelong passion, Sriranganath continued to remain active on social media, expressing his insightful views on a plethora of subjects of the day. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and a son, N. Vamsi Srinivas, who, in his footsteps, became a journalist and is currently Bureau Chief of Deccan Chronicle. Ranganaths funeral will be performed in Hyderabad on Thursday. Indian Army Southern Command has rescued the stranded trekker to safety from the dangerous cliff, across the treacherous rocky mountain face. (Twitter/@IaSouthern) Kochi: A 23-year youth who was trapped in a cleft of Malampuzha mountains in Kerala for nearly two days has been rescued by the Indian Army. The Army team in an unprecedented rescue mission brought Babu, the youngster, to the top of the mountain. The rescue mission lasted for more than 40 minutes. The youngster has been airlifted to the district hospital for health checkup. Babu, who went for trekking with his friends on Monday at the 1000-metre high Cheradu hills slipped and fell into a dangerous crevice along the steep rock. As Babu was trapped in a recess on the mountain face, between rocks, he could not move and screamed for help. He had to spend nearly 45 hours in the scorching heat with no water or food. Though Police, Fire and Rescue Services teams tried to rescue him, all their efforts went in vain. The attempts to give him food and water using a drone also didnt succeed. The Navy team members tried to airlift him using rope, but their efforts also failed. As requested by the state government, the Army team reached the spot and began the rescue operation by Tuesday night. Finally, the mountaineering experts of the Army team from Bengaluru could reach Babu and provided him food and water. Later, the army personnel brought him to the top of the mountain by strapping him to one of the rescuers using safety belt and rope. The health condition of the youth is stable. The TV channel visuals showed the rescue team slowly climbing up by making stops in between to give the youth some rest. The youth was hauled up to safety by 10.08 AM by the Army personnel and successfully completed the massive rescue effort, perhaps the first of its kind in the state. Besides the Army, teams of NDRF, Coast Guard, Air Force, Police and other agencies helped in the rescue mission. South Africa: Sex work decriminalisation consultations begin Justice and Constitutional Development Deputy Minister John Jeffery says the possible decriminalisation of sex work may be disputed, but it must be fully debated before a decision is taken. This as the Deputy Minister is expected to start a series of consultations with interested parties and stakeholders on the decriminalisation of sex work. The issue of decriminalisation may be a contested one, but is also one that needs to be debated and a decision taken, as the issue has been one which has been delayed for far too long. It is important that we fully engage with stakeholders regarding the proposed policy options, as there are many divergent views. We need to further engage with relevant government departments to ascertain the implications of changing the legislative framework and we also engage the public on their views, Jeffery said. Consultations begin on Wednesday, 9 February. Department spokesperson Chrispin Phiri explained that the consultations will begin today (Wednesday). The Deputy Minister will be meeting with representatives of the pro-decriminalization sex work sector tomorrow in a closed meeting. Thereafter the [he] will have a series of similar meetings with other stakeholders who are in favour of the so-called Nordic Model. The Deputy Minister will also meet with religious organisations and Traditional Leaders. The dates of these meetings have not yet been confirmed, department spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said. In South Africa, prostitution and keeping a brothel are illegal as set out by the Sexual Offences Act of 1957 and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act of 2007. Several municipalities also have by-laws, which are aimed at removing or arresting sex workers. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-02-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hong Kong's stability, prosperity shall not be undermined: commissioner's office of Chinese foreign ministry in HKSAR Xinhua) 09:51, February 09, 2022 HONG KONG, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The office of the commissioner of the Chinese foreign ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Tuesday strongly rejected the so-called statement issued by Britain and some other members of the "Media Freedom Coalition". The office firmly rejected the so-called statement which slandered Hong Kong's press freedom and smeared the HKSAR government's law enforcement activities, said a spokesperson of the office. "The historical trend of Hong Kong's transition from chaos to stability and prosperity is irreversible, and any attempt to interfere with Hong Kong affairs and exert pressure on us in the name of press freedom is doomed to failure," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson noted that the HKSAR Basic Law and the national security law in Hong Kong safeguard lawful rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents, including freedom of speech and the press. Since the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, Hong Kong's social stability has been restored, development has returned to the right track, freedom of the press has been better protected in a safe, stable and law-based environment, and the number of international media and journalists in Hong Kong has further increased, the spokesperson said. However, some external forces, including the "Media Freedom Coalition", have turned a blind eye to the good administration in the HKSAR and the facts of Hong Kong's well-developed media sector and free flow of information, the spokesperson said. They teamed up to vilify Hong Kong's freedom of the press, interfered with the rule of law in Hong Kong, and supported anti-China elements, which fully exposed their intention of creating chaos in Hong Kong, the spokesperson added. The spokesperson pointed out that members of the so-called "Media Freedom Coalition" are not templates for press freedom. "Some of them forcibly shut down news websites, suppressed media and journalists in other countries, and frequently prevented journalists from participating in government public activities," the spokesperson said. In the United States alone, at least 117 journalists were arrested or detained in 2020, and 148 were arrested or attacked in the week after the death of George Floyd, the spokesperson said. Noting that Hong Kong is part of China and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, the spokesperson said China is determined to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests and to fully and faithfully implement the principle of "one country, two systems." The spokesperson urged relevant countries and groups to recognize the facts, respect the general trend, abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs including Hong Kong affairs under any pretext. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) The bench inquired whether there was any restriction on allotting 2BHK house to a transgender. Government counsel informed that there was no such restriction but the applicant should fulfil the parameters laid down. DC Image HYDERABAD: A division bench of Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili directed the state government to consider the case of transgenders in allotting 2BHK houses, built by the government for the purpose of providing housing to the destitute. The bench said that in case transgenders fulfilled the terms and conditions laid down for allocation of 2BHKs, the state government should consider providing them houses without any discrimination. The bench inquired whether there was any restriction on allotting 2BHK house to a transgender. Government counsel informed that there was no such restriction but the applicant should fulfil the parameters laid down. The division bench was hearing a PIL filed by Ch. Priya Murthy, a social worker and others from Hyderabad seeking a direction to the Telangana government to provide reservation to transgender persons in the allotment of 2BHK houses under the housing scheme under GO. Ms.10 dated.15.10 2015. The counsel for the petitioner informed the division bench that the government was inviting applications for the allotment of 2BHK houses from only such persons who were in possession with the food security card whereas these transgenders did not have the card due to which they were discriminated while allotting the 2BHK houses. Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has written a letter to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, claiming he was approached by certain people who asked him to assist in toppling the MVA government in Maharashtra so that the state could be forced into mid-term elections. In the letter to Naidu, who is also chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Raut said central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were systematically targeting Shiv Sena leaders, after the party formed government in Maharashtra with the NCP and Congress after severing ties with its old ally BJP. Raut requested Naidu to take note of the abuse of power and alleged harassment of Rajya Sabha members, and said the vice president should also speak up and take action in this connection. The Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson wrote the letter to Naidu on Tuesday and also sent its copies to leaders like Congress's Rahul Gandhi and NCP president Sharad Pawar. About a month ago, I was approached by certain people and was told to assist them in toppling the state government in Maharashtra. They wanted me to be instrumental in such an endeavour so that the state could be forced into a mid-term election, Raut alleged. The Rajya Sabha member further said he refused to be part of the clandestine agenda, and claimed he was told that his refusal would lead to him paying a heavy price. I urge you to not just take note of the abuse of power to perpetuate intimidation and harassment of members of the Rajya Sabha, but also to speak up and take action, Raut said in the letter to Naidu. Speaking to reporters in Delhi on Wednesday, Raut also accused the central agencies like the ED of becoming part of a criminal syndicate of the BJP". He charged the ED with working on the directions of some people. Raut expressed confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government will complete its five-year tenure. HYDERABAD: Protests erupted across Telangana on Wednesday against Prime Minister Narendra Modis comments on the formation of Telangana state following a call given by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). TRS leaders and cadres including ministers, MLAs, MLCs held bike rallies in their respective constituencies and districts wearing black dresses, badges, headbands, scarves and holding black flags. Funeral processions were held for effigies of Modi and the BJP which were set on fire later. They staged rasta rokos at major junctions of various towns and burnt the effigies of Modi and the BJP. In Hyderabad, TRS leaders along with students staged a demonstration at Telangana Martyrs Memorial at Gun Park and released black balloons into the sky. TRS MPs held a protest at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on Parliament premises and raised slogans against Modi and the BJP. In Siddipet, finance minister T. Harish Rao, who took part in a protest rally, demanded that the Prime Minister must justify how the passage of the farm laws Bills was democratic and scientific, despite the ruling BJP not having adequate majority in the Rajya Sabha and the entire Opposition parties objecting to it. He wondered how the passage of AP Reorganisation Bill which received consent from a total 33 parties including the then ruling Congress and the main Opposition BJP, could be termed undemocratic and unscientific. In Jangaon, the burning of Modi's effigy led to clashes between the TRS and the BJP activists. When the BJP activists tried to prevent burning of Modi's effigy, the TRS activists chased them away with sticks. The police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse both sides. BC welfare and civil supplies minister Gangula Kamalakar who held dharna at Karimnagar said that Modi, unable to stomach the development taking place in Telangana since 2014, was hatching a conspiracy to reunite the two Telugu states. In a media statement, MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha said, "People of Telangana have come together to unanimously reject PM Modi Ji's remarks on the formation of our beloved Telangana. The Prime Ministers insensitivity towards Telangana state hurt the feelings of our people and the families of the martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice of lives, fighting for Telangana." Energy minister G. Jagadish Reddy, who took part in protest rallies in Nalgonda, said people of Telangana would teach a befitting lesson to the BJP in the upcoming elections as they realised that BJP was 'anti-Telangana' after looking at the Prime Ministers comments. Modi should apologise for remarks on TS: KTR Municipal administration and urban development minister K.T. Rama Rao demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on Telangana statehood in Rajya Sabha. Speaking after inaugurating Phase II of ring main project works which intends to provide drinking water to villages and gated communities inside the outer ring road (ORR) at Ibrahimpatnam, Rama Rao said Modi told lies in Parliament, which was considered to be the temple of democracy. He said the Prime Minister was resorting to creating hatred instead of instilling confidence in Parliament. As a Prime Minister, how can Modi make meaningless statements? His remarks are nothing but belittling Telangana agitation and sacrifices made by martyrs who fought for separate statehood, he said. Stating that the Prime Minister delivered an unnecessary speech in Rajya Sabha, the TRS working president said the Centre did not give a penny to Telangana in the last seven years. He said Modi did not even announce any sanction during his recent visit where he unveiled the Statue of Equality in Hyderabad. He called upon the TRS workers to be alert and to keep an eye on the BJP's false propaganda. The minister alleged that the saffron party bore a grudge against Telangana and merged seven mandals of erstwhile Khammam district with Andhra Pradesh and also handed over Sileru power project to the residuary state. DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu and Left-ruled Kerala have lodged their objection over the 'one nation-one registration' proposal. Twitter Hyderabad: Telangana is all set to join the states opposing the Centre's "one nation-one registration" initiative. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced plans to roll out this initiative in the Union Budget 2022-23. Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao would write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opposing the Centre's move and seeking withdrawal of the one nation-one registration' plan. Sources in TRS said the CM strongly feels that the 'one nation-one registration' move would curtail the powers of states. He noted that the earnings through stamps and registrations remained as the major revenue source for state governments. State governments now have power to decide stamp duties and registration charges. The Telangana government enhanced registration charges and stamp duties in July 2021 and enhanced the market value of lands twice within a year -- in July 2021 and recently on February 1. The state government fears loss of revenue if the Centre takes over powers of states on registration charges and stamp duties. After the implementation of GST from July 2017, states already lost their power to impose sales tax/ VAT on several products barring fuel and alcohol. States are now waiting for the Centre to reimburse their tax share after GST collections and many states complain of losing their revenue collections after GST came into force. The Telangana government earns nearly Rs 12,000 crore per year through registrations and stamp duties. This is expected to increase to Rs 15,000 crore with the enhancement of registration charges, stamp duty and market value of lands, apartments etc. DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu and Left-ruled Kerala have lodged their objection over the 'one nation-one registration' proposal. The TRS-led government in Telangana is already engaged in a political slugfest with the BJP-led government at the Centre, accusing it of curtailing the powers of states in the name of power reforms, farm laws etc. It is not willing to lose its powers on stamps and registrations, lands and properties to the Centre in the name of 'one nation-one registration', official sources said. Emporia, KS (66801) Today Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 44F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 44F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Emporia, KS (66801) Today Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 59F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low near 45F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%. 5G rollout in China set to accelerate By MA SI (China Daily) 10:08, February 09, 2022 Technicians from China Mobile check a 5G base station in Tongling, Anhui province. [Photo by Guo Shining/for China Daily] Local govts build 'new infrastructure' while FCC moves hurt US consumers Local governments in China are doubling down on plans to accelerate 5G rollout this year. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in the United States where the federal government is likely to face a shortfall in funding for its plan to replace Chinese equipment in telecom networks, posing connectivity challenges to people in rural areas in the US, experts said. More than 20 provincial and municipal governments in China have emphasized efforts to accelerate construction of "new infrastructure" like 5G and data centers in their work plans for this year. Shanghai, for instance, said it plans to build more than 25,000 5G base stations this year to push forward the in-depth coverage of the superfast wireless network. The city also has ambitions to build super large computing power platforms to meet growing demand. Zhao Zhiguo, spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's top industry regulator, said earlier:"2022 is a critical year for the large-scale development of 5G applications. We will continue to improve 5G network coverage and accelerate the in-depth integration of 5G and vertical industries." One of the priorities is to moderately speed up the coverage of 5G in counties and rural towns, Zhao said. Ten ministries, including the Cyberspace Administration of China, recently unveiled a digital rural development action plan for the period from 2022 to 2025, which called for an intensified push to promote digital infrastructure upgrades in rural areas. Telecom operators are also moving fast. China Mobile, the nation's largest telecom carrier, for instance, said it aims to achieve continuous 5G coverage in rural towns across the country by the end of this year. Telecom carriers' 5G plans seek to harness the power of more than 1.4 million 5G base stations that stood in China by the end of last year. 5G signals are already available in urban areas of all prefecture-level cities, more than 98 percent of county-level towns and 80 percent of rural towns, MIIT data showed. But, in the US, the scene is a contrast. The US Federal Communications Commission found a shortfall in funding for its plan to replace Chinese telecom equipment. Inadequate finance is likely to pose connectivity challenges to people in remote areas in the US, experts said. According to a report on MobileWorld Live, a telecom industry website, the FCC said local telecom operators' requests for funding to replace network equipment made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE totaled $5.6 billion, almost three times the $1.9 billion allocated by the US federal government. The FCC banned US telecom carriers from buying Huawei and ZTE's equipment via federal subsidies, citing what it alleged were national security concerns. The two Chinese companies have repeatedly denied the accusations, which they said are groundless. Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Information Consumption Alliance, a telecom industry association in China, said Huawei and ZTE's products are currently used by US telecom carriers to offer network and broadband services in some of the most remote regions in the US. The US government is wasting big money on replacing Chinese telecom equipment, and consumers in rural areas in the US will suffer from the lack of quality telecom services, Xiang said. Steve Berry, president and CEO of the Competitive Carriers Association, a trade group for about 100 wireless providers in the US, issued a statement calling on the US government to ensure the FCC program is fully funded so that connectivity is maintained during the operators' transition to new equipment for their networks. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) A suspect in the homicide case that resulted in Amir Locke's death was apprehended and verified by Locke's family to be his cousin. Mekhi Speed, a 17-year-old cousin of Locke who will be 18 in a month, was detained in Winona, Minnesota, about 3:45 pm on Monday in connection with the deadly shooting of Otis Elder on January 10, according to St. Paul police. Cousin of Amir Locke Arrested for Murder On Tuesday, the agency told NBC News that the suspect is linked to the past week's shooting of Locke by a SWAT officer in a Minneapolis residence as a result of a no-knock warrant. According to officials, Locke was not identified on the warrant, which the Minneapolis Police Department issued. The homicide investigation in St. Paul was the subject of the warrant. When cops burst into Locke's residence and discovered him covered in a blanket on the couch, he was fatally shot. According to authorities in Minneapolis, the officer opened fire when he saw a pistol barrel emerge from behind the cover. Authorities said the homicide suspect was arrested and put into the Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Center on a charge of second-degree murder. In connection with the shooting of Elder, the Ramsey County Attorney's Office filed a petition against the suspect for two charges of second-degree murder on Tuesday, NBC News reported. As part of their investigation into the shooting on Jan. 10, police conducted a no-knock search warrant on an apartment last week. Locke, a 22-year-old black male who was not involved in the inquiry, occupied the flat. When a SWAT squad arrived at his flat about 7 am, he had his rifle ready. According to body camera evidence, he was shot by an officer on Feb. 2. According to CNN, Locke's relatives confirmed he lawfully possessed the rifle. Court filings state that the registered resident of the flat was Speed's brother's girlfriend. The flat had been visited by Speed as recently as January 2022, and police had visited it on multiple occasions in the previous. The flat was one of three that investigators raided last week in their search for Speed. During the raid in which Locke was slain, officers discovered marijuana and clothes that they suspect belonged to Speed. Speed was captured in Winona, Minnesota, which is more than 100 miles distant from Saint Paul, Minnesota, according to police. People protested against the use of no-knock warrants and demanded that Locke be held accountable for his death, as per Washington Examiner. Read Also: School Shooting in Richfield Kills 1, Severely Injures Another; Virginia College Also Gets Attacked Family of Amir Locke Gears up to File Wrongful Death Lawsuit The killing of Locke, a Black man, enraged his family and activists, who questioned the original police version of the shooting and questioned the initial police story. On Saturday, a gathering in downtown Minneapolis drew hundreds of people, and students from nearby high schools have planned a walkout on Tuesday. A moratorium on no-knock arrest warrants was announced last week by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, while the city brought in outside experts to investigate its policy, and some state lawmakers plan to advocate for a statewide prohibition. Locke's family plans to launch a wrongful death lawsuit against the city's police force over the incident. Ben Crump, a civil rights lawyer representing Locke's family, feels that the Minneapolis Police Department, as well as the city of Minneapolis, are to blame for Locke's murder, according to AP News. Related Article: Washington: Shooting at Fred Meyer Leaves 1 Dead, Another Hurt; Photos of Dangerous Suspect Revealed @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Doug Emhoff was hustled out of a high school function on Tuesday after receiving a bomb threat, according to the pool report. At the Museum of Dunbar History, which is part of Dunbar High School in Washington, DC, Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, attended a Black History Month event. Kamala Harris' Husband Evacuated Over Security Threat A bomb threat at the school prompted an evacuation, according to Enrique Gutierrez, a representative for the District of Columbia Public Schools. According to the pool report, at 2:34 pm, a school announcement called on instructors to leave the building. A Secret Service member escorted Emhoff out of the room, according to the pool report. During a news conference on Tuesday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not have any further information to share. The Biden administration has denounced the threats, and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces initiated an inquiry into them last week. According to The New York Times, the FBI has identified six teenagers as people of interest in the bomb threats. According to Dunbar Principal Nadine Smith, after the facility was cleaned, the school district instructed the high school to send students home. For a Black History Month event at Dunbar High School's Museum of Dunbar History, Emhoff was there. The school was America's first public high school, particularly for Black pupils, founded in 1870. The Secret Service did not disclose any more information to the media regarding the event. Vice President Kamala Harris did not attend the occasion. Last year, Kamala Harris had her own bomb scare. When a pipe bomb was discovered on January 6, 2021, she was evacuated from the Democratic National Committee's offices, as per CBS News. Read Also: Biden Admin Releases Report on Boosting Labor Unions, Workers' Rights FBI Investigates Series of Bomb Threats in Black Colleges At least 17 historically Black schools and institutions were targeted with bomb threats a week ago, leading the FBI to investigate. The third bomb threat in a month forced the closure of HBCU Spelman College in Atlanta on Tuesday. The school was reopened after no device was found, according to authorities in Washington, DC, on Thursday evening. According to authorities, the threat was under investigation, but there were no apparent signs that it was linked to bomb threats against other historically black organizations. Ashan Benedict, the Executive Chief of Police for Washington, DC, confirmed Thursday afternoon that the school was secure, no bomb had been located, and the threat would be investigated. He claimed to have spoken with the Secret Service, who denied that Emhoff was involved in the threat. Kamala Harris, Emhoff's wife, is the first vice president of the United States who is both African American and South Asian. In collaboration with the National Park Service, the program is designed for children in grades 8-12. The program's students are finishing up an oral history project that will help them relate their family histories to the history of African Americans in general. The kids are making movies highlighting the significance of African American heritage places in the National Park Service. The oldest black high school in the United States, Dunbar High School, was founded in 1870, Mail Online reported. Related Article: Kevin McCarthy Outlines How GOP Will Control Investigation on COVID-19 Origins If Republicans Regain Control of the House @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. China failed to deliver in buying U.S. goods and services worth more than $200 billion despite a deal with former United States President Donald Trump. The promise was part of what is known as the Phase One deal, where Beijing committed to buying $200 billion more in American exports compared to 2017. The deal was made just before a U.S.-China trade war began. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping both decided to stop escalating tariffs after signing the deal. Commitment Failure With the deal, China was supposed to meet the required purchase goals by the end of 2021 but was never on track to meet its target. Furthermore, a new report released by the Peterson Institute for International Economics has given a detailed picture of how much goods the Asian giant bought over the two-year period since the deal. It was found that China only bought 57% of the American exports that it promised to purchase under the Trump-era deal. The report analyzed new trade data that the Department of Commerce released, CNN reported. While the deal failed in terms of the additional exports that were supposed to be purchased, it stopped the spiraling trade war between the two nations. Experts have also noted that some parts of the agreement should be kept because they were advantageous. This includes China's commitments to removing technical barriers to U.S. farm exports, respecting intellectual property, and opening up its financial services sector. Read Also: Donald Trump, Mike Pence Avoid All-Out War; Ex-POTUS Blames Nancy Pelosi for Jan. 6 US Capitol Attack However, some argue that Trump's decision to sign a deal that was problematic from the start showed a level of bad faith from both sides. It was also made without considering unforeseen events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The commitment did very little to reduce the uncertainty that was discouraging the business investment needed to kick-start U.S. exports. PIIE reported that many of Trump's tariffs remain in effect, especially those placed on inputs, which raises costs to U.S. companies. Furthermore, the failure to negotiate the removal of China's retaliatory tariffs may have redirected Chinese demand for U.S. exports from its private sector to its state-owned enterprises. Trump's Trade War The situation comes after Trump famously declared in 2018 that trade wars were good and easy to win. He called himself a "Tariff Man" and showcased it by imposing new tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of U.S. imports. The former president's logic was that if he made imports more expensive for Americans, it would hurt foreign sellers and give him leverage to demand concessions. The Republican businessman's biggest target was China, the world's largest economy following the U.S. The tariff increase from both nations rattled financial markets in 2018 and 2019, leading to the Phase One deal that both leaders signed on Jan. 15, 2020. If the U.S. share of Chinese imports had remained constant and if there was no Trump trade war, U.S. exports to China were expected to have reached $119 billion more than actual levels from 2018 to 2021. The situation shows a net loss of business for American companies, as per Yahoo Finance. Related Article: Kim Jong Un Reportedly Sends "Love Letters" To Donald Trump; What Do Former President's Documents Contain? @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new investigation reveals that the Taliban are increasingly harassing journalists in Afghanistan. According to the study, the 'Istikhbarat' Taliban administration and the Ministry for Promoting Virtue and Suppressing Vice have broken Afghanistan's press law, which governs journalists. Since the Taliban took control in August last year, at least 50 journalists and media professionals have been jailed or incarcerated. According to the report, the majority of the arrests happened when journalists were covering or reporting on rallies and street protests against the new leadership. In the course of their job, others have been alleged to have received threatening calls. In the World Press Freedom Index, which RSF issued in April 2021, Afghanistan is placed 122nd out of 180 nations, according to Star. Afghan People Face Poor Situation The Taliban, supposedly with the direct backing of Pakistan's army, conquered Kabul, Afghanistan's capital, after former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani departed the country on August 15, 2021. The resistance in Panjshir province, headed by Ahmad Massoud, lasted just a few days before being destroyed by the purported assistance of Pakistan's army. Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, the people have been living in miserable conditions. About a million people laid off the previous government's employees. Poverty is pervasive, and the economic structure is crumbling. Only those who support the Taliban receive foreign help, and the poorest people are left out. Unfortunately, India's humanitarian help to Afghanistan's people is only handed to Taliban members' families, and it is not supplied to the country's destitute people. Schools and institutions are being shut as a result of a failing education system. Women have been denied the right to study and work, and girls have been forbidden from leaving their homes. My mother was a teacher, and my sisters were school students. My mother lost her job, and my sister can't attend school, so they're stuck at home like captives. Thousands of citizens are fleeing the country every day due to poverty and unemployment, as have scientists and other professionals working in the field. The former government's military has fled Afghanistan in large numbers. The Taliban detain and torture some of them while others remain in the nation. Professionals are removed from government positions and replaced with persons who have no ties to the Pakistani government or its officials. The Hazara, Tajik, Uzbek, and Pashtun ethnic groups are all found in Afghanistan. However, only the Pashtun ethnic group is represented in the Taliban government, and other ethnic groups are absent. Other countries have not yet recognized this group due to the absence of other ethnic groups in the Taliban cabinet. Afghanistan's people have no tolerance for the Taliban. People in Afghanistan, particularly women, are opposed to the Taliban. Across Afghanistan, uprisings against the gang are taking place daily. The Taliban, however, are suppressing the uprisings owing to a lack of outside backing, Sabrang reported. Read Also: Taliban Urges Tajikistan, Uzbekistan To Return Afghanistan's Aircraft and Increase Wheat Price as Economic Crisis Deepens Taliban Officials Send Daughters Abroad to Study According to a source, Taliban leaders send their daughters to foreign schools even though the rule does not let many female secondary pupils into classes. Millions of female secondary school students in Afghanistan have been deprived of education since the Taliban took control in August, while senior officials send their children to schools and colleges, especially in Qatar, southwest Asia. According to a study by Afghanistan Analysts Network, the majority of Qatari Taliban commanders have decided to send their boys and daughters to school, with the bulk of those in Doha enrolling their girls in school. Because the Taliban leadership has only reopened secondary schools for males and elementary schools for all children, millions of female students in Afghanistan are still unable to attend school. When the remaining schools around the nation reopened in March, the Taliban have promised that all women and girls would be able to participate in school at all levels, as per Mail Online. Related Article: Joe Biden Confirms ISIS Leader Blew Himself Up During US Military Raid in Syria; But Civilian Deaths Raise Major Concern @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Republicans continue to butt heads with each other as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell disagrees with the Republican National Committee's (RNC) decision to censure GOP Sens. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. The situation comes after the RNC unanimously voted to censure the two Republican officials for their involvement in the House Select Committee. They argued that the panel was unjustly persecuting innocent Americans during its investigation of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. McConnell vs McCarthy The RNC also called the events of the insurrection "legitimate political discourse," much to the dismay of many GOP members. McConnell's latest remarks add support to a small but forceful voice of Republican lawmakers in decrying the rebuke of Cheney and Kinzinger. McConnell added by saying that he had seen what happened on that unprecedented day, calling it a violent insurrection. He argued that a mob of loyal supporters of former United States President Donald Trump besieged the Capitol building in an attempt to prevent Joe Biden's certification. Many Republicans have criticized the RNC after the decision was made, calling the vote a political distraction and a shame on the party. In a statement, McConnell told reporters that the national party committee's traditional view was to support its members regardless of position on some issues, the New York Times reported. McConnell noted that the RNC should not be singling out members of the party for having different views from the majority, arguing it was not the committee's job. But the Senate minority leader said that he still had faith in RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel. Read Also: Senate GOP Criticizes RNC for Censure of Cheney, Kinzinger, Argues It Enables Trump's Violence Politics On the other hand, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy supported the RNC's stance of legitimate political discourse. He claimed that the use of legitimate political discourse was referring to the House Select Committee's subpoenas to RNC officials who were in Florida at the time of the Capitol siege. CNN reported that in an interview, McCarthy said that people who were violent and caused injury or damage at the time were in the wrong. He added that those people, who were part of the chaotic mob that stormed the Capitol building, should be put in jail. Republicans Split Over RNC McCarthy was followed down the hallway while being asked about his stance regarding the decision of the RNC. The official did not detail who the subpoenaed lawmakers in Florida were at the time of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. The issue is in connection to a slate of false presidential electors that tried to overturn the 2020 elections and give former President Trump the win over Biden. The fake electors were not sanctioned or signed by any government body, such as a governor. They did not have legal authority whatsoever during the joint session of Congress in counting electoral votes. The House Select Committee has subpoenaed 14 individuals who signed their names to fake slates of electors to vote for Trump. They placed themselves under the positions of "chairperson" or "secretary." The Republican Party organization's chair or vice-chair signed the false electoral slates in all seven states, according to Business Insider. Related Article: RNC Calls Jan. 6 Riot 'Legitimate Political Discourse,' Censures Cheney, Kinzinger For Involvement in Select Committee @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Ivermectin, an antiparasitic medicine, has been administered to COVID-19 positive inmates at the Washington County Detention Center in Arkansas by Dr. Robert Karas, the facility's health care physician, apparently without their knowledge or agreement. Karas and his medical team repeatedly told inmates that the ivermectin pills were "vitamins," according to the detainees, who have sued the Arkansas ACLU on behalf of four inmates for the alleged treatment. The local doctor has not shied away from touting the use of the drug to treat COVID-19, despite the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other agencies advising against it. Local leaders decided to thank him for a "job well done" on Monday. Doctor Accused of Giving Ivermectin to Unwitting Inmates Karas has filed a motion to dismiss the ACLU's case against him after hundreds of complaints have been filed against him for allegedly providing detainees at the jail with poor medical treatment. The state medical board is also looking into him. The motion was brought by Washington County Justice of the Peace Patrick Deakins before the local Quorum Court's prison and law enforcement committee on Monday night, praising Karas' management of the coronavirus outbreak for a "job well done." COVID-19 has affected hundreds of millions of people, but the "numbers and consequences of the virus have been grossly inflated." COVID-19 has killed 900,000 individuals in the United States alone, as per CBS News. Inmates who claim they were administered ivermectin to treat COVID-19 unknowingly have filed a lawsuit against the Northwest Arkansas prison and Dr. Karas. In a court filing, attorneys for the sheriff of Washington County, the jail, and Dr. Robert Karas outlined a number of reasons why they feel the claim should be dismissed. People and animals can use ivermectin to treat parasitic worms, head lice, and skin disorders, according to the FDA. Its use in humans for COVID-19 has not been authorized by the FDA. Before four imates sued last month, the sheriff acknowledged in August that certain detainees had been administered ivermectin for the coronavirus. The detainees claim they were given the anti-parasitic medicine to treat their COVID-19 infection but were told it was something else. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against the Washington County Jail, Sheriff Tim Helder, and Dr. Robert Karas, the jail's medical director. In August, Helder reported that he had been administered ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19, according to The Denver Channel. Read Also: Thousands Join Trucker Protests Across Canada As Calls To Lift Government Covid-19 Restrictions Intensify Pennsylvania Doctor Got Fired for Prescribing Ivermectin Meanwhile, a Pennsylvania doctor was recently accused of administering ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, two treatments that have been labeled as unsafe for the condition. During her time at Tower Health, the doctor, Edith Behr, was accused of issuing prescriptions for the medications, which are not approved for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19, according to the business. The charges against Dr. Behr were discovered on Wednesday, according to the healthcare system. Dr. Behr could not be reached for comment. On Thursday, she had been fired. Tower Health is a regional health system located in Philadelphia with two hospitals: Phoenixville Hospital in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and Pottstown Hospital in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. According to Tower Health, Dr. Behr worked at both the Phoenixville and Pottstown hospitals. According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, she is both a doctor and a surgeon. Dr. Behr failed to satisfy the rules for administering drugs for "off-label" uses, according to Tower Health, which included evaluating patients' medical histories, New York Times reported. Related Article: COVID-19 Omicron Variant Warning: WHO Chief Warns Global 'Increase in Deaths,' US Death Toll on the Rise @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. President Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron had talks in Russia to de-escalate the tension at the Ukraine border, but nothing came out of the discussions, which became a mind game. The image of the two sitting far apart on a large table is one of the visuals that say the Kremlin won't be easily swayed in its course. Even threats by Joe Biden are ignored by the Russian leader, who has shown better handling and statesmanship. Russia, France Meet in Moscow Seen in the meeting is the latest move by Putin in dealing with an EU leader wanting a dialogue to push back war, the Express reported. Last Monday, the snap meeting between the two leaders held in Moscow took five long hours. This was the first conference with a Western leader when the Kremlin amassed troops at the Ukraine border. It was remarked as substantive, and the French leader called the following days as critical. An image taken of the meeting between the two heads of state; spoke volumes about how the discussion had turned out. The two leaders on opposite ends of a particularly long table used for the occasion were seen in the photo. Many comments on social media expressed doubt about how an agreement could be reached with the setup. According to Andrew Adonis, a labor peer, it's Putin's mental games played on Macron, adding that even Adolf Hitler never used a table like that. On Twitter, one user bemusedly commented that it is social distancing to the maximum. Another user posted how the transcript of the conversation will be. Adding it will be full of what and sorry, just total confusion that would be no wonder nothing happened. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron seemed to be out of synch, and that long table made an impact, cited The NY Times Post. Read Also: Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping Set To Sign Deal Amidst Accusations by the Western Alliance; China Says it Supports Russia One more observation is that it's like the movie of Eddie Murph 'Coming to America'; the character Akeem would need an intercom to speak to his parents. This scene was compared to Putin and Macron by a user's sarcasm, asking if the two needed an intercom too. More reactions on social media saying it was a failure at negotiating with the Kremlin leader is simple; he wanted to give Macron a piece of his mind. Vladimir Putin Won't Back Down Reuters mentioned the Russian and French president had a meal of reindeer, sweet potatoes, with blackberries for diner at the summit. After the talks were held, Putin remarked that some ideas and proposals were too early to deal with. It could be the basis of the next steps to be taken, noted the Hot World Report. The next time they meet will be Ukrainian leaders coming soon, but no idea how the table will be arranged for it. A rundown is that Russian annexed Crimea in 2014; separatists are supported like Donetsk and Donbas in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin still deploys 100,00 troops at the border. Putin's demands have not changed, like not allowing Kyiv to be part of NATO if Crimea is attacked by Kyiv. He said Moscow would not back down from provocation, and there would be war with no winners. Asked the Ukrainian government to respect the Minsk agreements to end the war in the separatist state with Russian communities in Donbas. The prevalent view is that the Kremlin has control over France and other EU countries are in disarray. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron's meeting at the Kremlin was not as successful attempts by France to mend differences do not help. Still, NATO countries are posturing that will not work. Related Article: Vladimir Putin Outmaneuvers Joe Biden by Falling for Feints and Stratagems Weakening, Dividing the Western Alliance @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chinese embassy, U.S. museum virtually celebrate Chinese New Year with American families Xinhua) 15:46, February 09, 2022 WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Qin Gang has joined more than 400 American families in the Virtual Chinese New Year Family Day, co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in the United States and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In a video message delivered on Feb. 5, Qin first sent Chinese New Year greetings to the audience, and then underlined the 2022 Olympic Winter Games underway in Beijing. Athletes from all over the world, including members of Team USA, "are giving their best performances while experiencing the Lunar New Year in China," he said, noting that the audience were also able to celebrate the traditional Chinese festival by enjoying performances by both Chinese and American artists. Stephanie Stebich, director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, thanked the Chinese embassy for supporting the Family Day event, the eighth of its kind jointly hosted by the two sides, saying that she looks forward to many more cultural exchange programs in the future. The Chinese embassy provided the event with demonstration videos on Beijing Opera, traditional Chinese paper-cutting, and clay modeling. Local American Chinese arts groups also created and shared videos of lion dancing, Chinese diabolo playing, and calligraphy writing, giving the audience a rich experience of Chinese New Year celebration. The Smithsonian American Art Museum, part of the Smithsonian Institution, is home to one of the largest and most inclusive collections of American art in the world. (Web editor: Xia Peiyao, Liang Jun) In a new interview with Men's Health, Arnold Schwarzenegger's son, Joseph Baena, spoke up about the moment his father's issues was exposed to the public. Being a youngster - Baena was 13 at the time - made the experience much more challenging, according to the 24-year-old. Despite the fact that the bodybuilder said it was tough to deal with a media storm, he stressed the importance of his mother Mildred's connection with him. Joseph Baena Reflects on Dad Arnold Schwarzenegger Baena is the son of Schwarzenegger and Mildred, who used to be the family's housekeeper, and was born in 1997. Until the day after the 'Terminator' actor left office as governor of California in 2011, Schwarzenegger's romance with Mildred remained undetected. During a therapy session with his four children and then-wife Maria Shriver, Schwarzenegger admitted that he had a son with Mildred. Soon after the disclosure, Shriver filed for divorce from her husband. According to Men's Health, Baena recalls the day the news broke "quite vividly." Maria Shriver sought for divorce from the star following the disclosure. Schwarzenegger has four children with Shriver, as per Insider. Baena was born out of wedlock until it was officially revealed in 2011 that his father was Austrian superstar and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Baena claimed he was too frightened to approach his father for advice when he first started exercising at the gym so he decided to study from a book instead. He and his father, a bodybuilder, eventually began working out together. Read Also: Kanye West Refuses To Sign Divorce Papers, Accuses Kim Kardashian of Calling Him a Thief Arnold Schwarzenegger Inspires Son on Body Building For the publication, Baena sat for a muscled photoshoot in which he showed off his muscular body. At Gold's Gym in Venice, California, he also recorded a training video, which was one of his father's favorite places for a long time. While Joseph claims that his father is a good source of bodybuilding instruction, he doesn't think he'll be able to provide him an advantage in Hollywood. Schwarzenegger celebrated his son's 24th birthday in October by wishing him a happy birthday on social media, praising his son's dedication to his career and fitness goals, Mail Online reported. According to judicial authorities, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver's divorce was finalized a month ago. In July 2011, Shriver, 66, filed for divorce from Schwarzenegger, 74, alleging "irreconcilable differences." All these years, the divorce between Shriver and Schwarzenegger has been delayed by a property settlement between them. However, a sitting judge had to sign off on the divorce before it could be finalized by a private judge. Schwarzenegger and Shriver have maintained a relationship despite the public crisis in 2011 and have enjoyed other family holidays together. In 2020, Shriver was seen with children celebrating Schwarzenegger's 73rd birthday. In his memoir, Schwarzenegger spoke about his affair and kid. It was only after the actor's run for governor of California had ended that Shriver confronted him about it. In January, Schwarzenegger got involved in a four-car collision that resulted in his massive black SUV colliding with another vehicle and injuring one other driver. The former governor was driving his GMC Yukon SUV approximately half a mile from his Brentwood home when he collided with a red Toyota Prius as he was about to turn onto bustling Sunset Boulevard. When the incident happened, the Prius was believed to be doing a U-turn in the road. The force of the accident was so intense that the Prius' airbags, as well as those in Schwarzenegger's car, deployed as a result of the collision, according to Fox news. Related Article: Arnold Schwarzenegger Involved in Bad Car Accident Leaving a Woman Bleeding Heavily in Head @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Lawmakers from the House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to pass a short-term funding bill that will prevent the United States federal government from going into a shutdown at the end of next week. Without the bill, the U.S. government's funding is set to expire on Feb. 18, but the proposal of the House will allow the extension of finances through Mar. 11. The vote ended with a tally of 272-162, passing with bipartisan support. Short-Term Funding Bill With the House passing the stopgap bill, which is known as a continuing resolution, the Senate now needs to approve the proposal before it can reach United States President Joe Biden's office and be signed into law. If the bill passes both chambers, it would be the latest in a series of short-term funding bills that Congress has passed. The situation comes as lawmakers continue to negotiate on a bipartisan basis to secure a deal for a full year's worth of funding. Currently, there is agreement from both parties that the government needs a broader funding deal. Lawmakers from both parties also raised concern over the limitations imposed on federal entities under the stopgap measures, CNN reported. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday said that he was planning to vote on the spending plan. He argued that his support for the bill would come quickly and in time for the Feb. 18 deadline. Read Also: Donald Trump, Mike Pence Avoid All-Out War; Ex-POTUS Blames Nancy Pelosi for Jan. 6 US Capitol Attack In recent years, Congress has failed to pass full-year appropriations bills, going back-and-forth between last-minute, short-term legislative efforts in an attempt to keep the government running. If lawmakers are unable to address lapses in funding, it could result in furloughs of federal workers and disruptions to government services as well as the economy. According to CNBC, officials hope that the additional three weeks of funding will give them sufficient time to formulate a spending plan that will keep the government funded through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. Appropriators failed to strike a long-term deal before the deadline this Feb. 18. Temporary Government Shutdown Connecticut Democrat Rep. Rosa DeLauro said that she expected lawmakers will be able to finalize a framework in short order. The official added that they can then work together to fill in the details of the bill and enact an omnibus, DeLauro, who is also the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, added that the American public deserved the certainty that comes with full-year funding bills. One of Congress' core responsibilities is keeping the United States government fully funded with the help of a dozen bills that are required to finance agencies and departments for an entire fiscal year. However, a deal has been elusive four months after Oct. 1, which is the start of the fiscal year. Democrats, who have majority control of both congressional chambers and the White House, have been eager to prioritize their own funding agendas. However, in the evenly divided Senate, they would need Republican support to reach the required 60 votes to pass most legislation, the New York Times reported. Related Article: Senate GOP Criticizes RNC for Censure of Cheney, Kinzinger, Argues It Enables Trump's Violence Politics @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The parents of the alleged Oxford school shooter, Ethan Crumbley, appeared in a court hearing where testimonies centered around demons, guns, infidelity, and voices. A judge in the U.S. state of Michigan began a preliminary hearing on Tuesday to decide whether or not prosecutors had sufficient evidence to charge the teenager's parents with involuntary manslaughter. Ethan is accused of killing four students at his high school using his father's gun. Hearing of Teenage Shooter's Parents The parents of the alleged shooter, identified as James and Jennifer Crumbley, have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They are accused of buying their 15-year-old son the gun that he used to shoot other students at his high school on Nov. 30, 2021. Prosecutors claim that the couple ignored signs of their son having violent thoughts as late as the day Ethan conducted the shooting. During the hearing, Judge Julie Nicholson of the Rochester District was responsible for determining whether or not the couple would be put on trial. There are 16 potential witnesses that could be called to testify at the hearing to describe their interactions with the Crumbley family and what they knew about the parents of the teenager. Shootings in the United States have surged and pushed the Oxford shooting to national scrutiny, Aljazeera reported. Oakland County Sheriff's Detective Edward Wagrowski reviewed photographs, videos, call logs, and messages taken from the Crumbleys' phones. Furthermore, officials analyzed social media posts, school surveillance videos, and 911 calls connected to the shooting investigation. Read Also: Kamala Harris' Husband, Doug Emhoff, Evacuates High School Event Over Bomb Threat; HBCU Scare Continues In a text message to an unidentified person on Aug. 20, 2021, Ethan said that it was "time to shoot up the school." However, the 15-year-old quickly followed up his text with multiple instances of "j/k," which Wagrowski noted stood for "just kidding." Mlive reported that Ethan's messages were followed by a video that showed a hand holding a gun, footage that was played in court. The teenager was found to have texted that his father left out a gun and thought that he would use it. Wagrowski refused to name the recipient of the tests but noted that it was a juvenile. Mental Stress Officials said that as early as March, the teenager indicated that he may have been experiencing paranoid thoughts. He repeatedly asked his mother to come home, saying there was someone else inside the family's house. Another instance was when Ethan messaged his mother, saying that their home was haunted and that there was a "demon" inside. On the other hand, Jennifer, who worked as a marketing director at a real estate company, was more worried about her job the day his son shot other students. It was found that shortly after learning of Ethan's actions, his mother texted her boss and said that she needed the job. She pleaded for Andrew Smith not to judge her based on her son's actions. Smith said that his employee's message took him by surprise and said that he thought the mother of the 15-year-old would have been more worried about the shooting in her son's school, as per CNN. Related Article: Donald Trump, Mike Pence Avoid All-Out War; Ex-POTUS Blames Nancy Pelosi for Jan. 6 US Capitol Attack @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Amir Locke, a 22-year-old Black man who died on Wednesday after being shot by police during the execution of a no-knock warrant, continues to be the subject of protests in Minneapolis. The shooting has also prompted the nation to rethink the subject of no-knock warrants, which was a hot topic after Breonna Taylor was shot and killed in her Louisville home in 2020. Here are five facts to know regarding Locke's assassination by the police: 1. Police Did Not Name Amir Locke in the Warrant As previously reported by Blavity, Locke was not identified in the initial warrant because he was sleeping at his cousin's Minneapolis apartment when authorities searched it. The search warrant, which was issued in connection with a homicide investigation in St. Paul, is still sealed, according to police. The warrants are sealed to "preserve the integrity of the investigation" and "unless the court instructs otherwise," according to Steve Linders, the St. Paul Police Department's public information officer. 2. Amir Locke's Parents Say He Was a Legal Gun Owner On Friday, Amir Locke's parents verified that he had a lawful weapon in his possession. Locke's mother, Karen Wells, told CNN';s Don Lemon that her son "made sure that he did his homework and that everything was going to be legal." Wells also expressed concern about Locke possessing a pistol because of what the police might do if they saw him with it. 3. Derek Chauvin Trial Judge Signed Off on No-Knock Warrant The no-knock search warrant that led to Amir's murder was approved by Judge Peter Cahill, who was propelled into the national limelight during the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, according to WCCO. According to WCCO-TV, St. Paul police first requested a "knock-and-announce" warrant from the Minneapolis Police Department. The plans were modified when MPD declined to fulfill the first request. It's not uncommon for police in St. Paul to get the help of other authorities to carry out a search warrant. 4. Amir Locke Didn't Have Any Criminal Record Their loved one, Amir's family stated, was a young guy with high goals, not someone with a criminal record. Her son just filed paperwork to start a music company, according to Wells. According to ABC News, he planned to move to Dallas to be closer to his mother and pursue a career as a hip-hop musician, following in his father's footsteps. 5. The No-Knock Warrant Was Originally a Knock Warrant Not only because activists have long criticized the practice, but also because the warrant was never intended to be a no-knock, according to KARE, the no-knock warrant that led to Locke's murder has been called into doubt. A no-knock order was not requested by the police in St. Paul when they first requested a warrant. When the Minneapolis Police Department was requested to execute the warrant, it was said to have altered the request. Both warrants were secured so that the SWAT team could examine the situation and make the best judgment possible, according to interim Minneapolis police chief Amelia Huffman, who told reporters on Thursday. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will be examining what "imminent danger" would have been used to support this no-knock request, according to a representative for the city of Minneapolis. Read Also: Michael K. Williams Death: 4 Suspects Arrested in Connection to 'The Wire' Actor's Drug Overdose; Last Hours Before He Dies Shows He Acts Strangely Amir Locke's Cousin Arrested A 17-year-old was detained on Monday in connection with a homicide investigation that led to the death of Amir Locke, who was shot and killed last week during a predawn "no-knock" raid by a Minneapolis police officer. In court filings, the adolescent was described as Locke's cousin. In the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Otis Rodney Elder on Jan. 10, prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder. The teen suspect and his associates were tracked down to the Bolero Flats apartment building in Minneapolis, where search warrants were served on three apartments: the one the teen shared with his mother, another two doors down that belonged to his associate, and a seventh-floor apartment that belonged to the teen's brother's girlfriend, according to USA Today. Related Article: Amir Locke Death: Body Cam Video Reveals Fatal Shooting After No-Knock Raid; Protests, Social Unrest Start Anew @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. During an angry outburst on an Australian reality TV program, Meghan Markle's half-brother Thomas Markle, Jr., lambasted his estranged royal sibling as "cold" and suggested her marriage to Prince Harry might soon be "on the chopping block." Thomas, 55, in a room full of Celebrity Big Brother Australia housemates, said that he believed Meghan had been cold towards her ex-husband Trevor Engelson. He added, "Trevor took care of her, he cherished her, and she walked all over him and abandoned him in a flash." Money, Fame Changed Megan Markle Thomas informed his co-contestants that Engelson, an American film producer, 'loved' his sister Megan but took advantage of him during their brief marriage. It was also said that the former Suits actress' half-brother, who married Prince Harry in 2018, had been close with his sister before she relocated to Canada and was "transformed" by her unexpected wealth. Since their wedding day, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have welcomed two small children, two-year-old Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and eight-month-old Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. After Harry left the throne in 2020, the pair migrated to California. They are presently residing in a $14 million house, and he gave a series of shocking interviews in 2021, including one in which he disclosed an uncanny split with Prince Charles, according to Mail Online. It comes after the 55-year-old said that Meghan Markle's father, Thomas Markle Sn., was the only reason she became a royal paying for her schooling in 2018. Thomas Jr., was not invited to Harry and Meghan's wedding at Windsor Castle's St George's Chapel. He penned an explosive open letter in May 2018 urging Meghan and Harry to postpone their wedding, calling it a "false fairy tale." He eventually backtracked on the letter, which he said was written in a "moment of insanity," according to reports. When Meghan was born, Thomas Jr., was 14 years old and lived with his father, stepmother (Doria), and Samantha. He openly praised his sister and stated he was overjoyed for her after the birth of baby Archie. In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Thomas also expressed his hope that Archie would heal their family's split. He announced in May 2019 that he was homeless and had been living with his girlfriend in a motel room, as per The Sun. Read Also: Fox TV Host Tucker Carlson Criticizes Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Over Spotify Misinformation, Calls Them Half-Full Royal Expert: Meghan Markle Should Learn From Camilla A royal expert has stated that Meghan Markle could steal a page from the future queen's playbook. The Duchess of Sussex might learn from the Duchess of Cornwall's handling of public criticism, according to royal analyst and biographer Angela Levin. Meghan is a "difficult lady" who does not want to work in a team, according to Levin, who contrasted the two ladies. Following the Queen's Platinum Jubilee of 70 years as ruler, Levin expressed her approval for Camilla to become Queen Consort when Prince Charles becomes King. The announcement touched and honored the pair, according to a representative for Clarence House, Prince Charles, and the Duchess of Cornwall's official residence, Mirror reported. Related Article: Prince Andrew To Appear Alongside Queen Elizabeth at Prince Philip's Memorial Service Despite Sex Abuse Scandal @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Researchers in the United States recently discovered a variant of Omicron in a white-tailed deer in New York, raising worries that the species, with a population of 30 million across the country, could become hosts of the new COVID-19 strain. According to the scientists from Pennsylvania State University that led the study, the blood and nasal swab samples from 131 deer captured on Staten Island indicated 15% had virus antibodies. As reported by Reuters, the findings suggest that the animals had been infected by a coronavirus in the past and were vulnerable to repeated reinfections with new variants. Suresh Kuchipudi, a Penn State veterinary microbiologist, said that the movement of the virus in animal production "always raises the possibility of getting back to humans." More importantly, the virus has increased chances "to evolve into novel variants." "When the virus completely mutates, then it can escape the protection of the current vaccine. So we'd have to change the vaccine again," Kuchipudi noted. The discovery, which marks the first time Omicron has been detected in a wild animal, comes as the human population in the United States is gradually recovering from a spike in COVID-19 infections caused by the variant. According to the US Agriculture Department (USDA), while there is no proof that animals transmit the virus to people, the majority of coronavirus infections were documented in species that had close contact with a person with COVID-19. Read Also: US Struggles To Contain Food Crisis Amid Omicron Variant's Labor Shortage Effect How Did It Happen? COVID-19 had previously been found in dogs, cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, otters, gorillas, and minks, based on a report by USDA. Experts in the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said the new results were not surprising. COVID-infected deer have since been discovered in other states like Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, as per ABC News. According to Dr. J. Scot Weese, professor at Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in Canada, "deer are sometimes naturally infected from exposure to people." He mentioned that researchers have seen different strains in deer that reflect "what is going on in people at the time." There are a few expert theories about how omicron infected deer, and all of them start with humans. One possibility is that the virus was spread by deers coming into close contact with humans that possibly fed them. Another theory is that deer interacted with other animals infected with COVID from humans, such as cats. According to existing evidence, deer can transmit the virus to other deer but not to humans. COVID-19 Infected Animals Slaughtered Last month, Fortune reported that after identifying COVID in one of the rodents sold at a local pet shop and accusing hamster-to-human infection of a surge in local COVID-19 cases, authorities in Hong Kong gathered up and slaughtered 2,000 hamsters. The government urged pet owners who had recently purchased hamsters from the shop to donate their animals to a euthanasia task force. In response to the little reign of terror, local animal advocates built an underground railroad for hapless hamsters. As of now, scientists have not proposed the culling of deer to eradicate the virus. However, the experts who discovered Omicron in whitetail deer teamed up with a group that initiated herd-thinning operations to capture and test the deer. Related Article: Omicron Puts Kids at High Risk, Causing Unusual Complications @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In response to a slowdown in demand that has caused the once-hot bike maker's value to plunge, Peloton Interactive plans to replace its chief executive, cut costs, and overhaul its board of directors. In addition to becoming CEO and president, Barry McCarthy will also join the board of directors of Peloton. McCarthy is known to have previously served as CFO of Spotify Technology SA and Netflix Inc. John Foley is reportedly stepping down on his position as CEO in Peloton and instead position himself as executive chair. Foley is not just the CEO of the company for 10 years--he is also one of the people who co-founded Peloton. On the other hand, accounting for approximately 20% of its corporate positions, the New York-based company will eliminate approximately 2,800 positions. This layoff is also one of the company's decisions to cope with the decline in demand and widening losses. However, the reductions will have no impact on Peloton's instructor roster or content. In an additional effort to cut costs, the $400 million factories Peloton is supposed to build this coming May in Ohio will be halted as well. Read Also: Amazon is Raising Maximum Base Salary To $350,000 From Previous Max of $160,000 Decreasing Profit Value During the COVID-19 lockdowns, the company's sales increased dramatically, with many customers purchasing home fitness equipment. However, as vaccinations became more widespread, gyms reopened, and competitors introduced competitive products, fortunes began to wane. According to a report by Reuters, investment firm Blackwells Capital has urged the company's board to fire its chief executive officer and put the company up for sale. On top of that, it has also urged the board to sell the company to a buyer such as Walt Disney Company, Apple Inc., Sony Group, Nike Inc., and Amazon. Furthermore, the world's largest online retailer has expressed its interest in purchasing the company. Changes in Peloton To Restructure Peloton has stated that it intends to reduce costs while also examining the size of its workforce and production levels in the near future. Investors have been waiting for more information on the company's plans. The Wall Street Journal reported that during an interview, Mr. Foley stated that the company was "open to exploring any opportunity that could create value for Peloton shareholders." Investors have been waiting for more information on the company's plans. The company's co-founder, Mr. Foley, a former Barnes & Noble Inc. executive who co-founded Peloton ten years ago last month, declined to comment further. Peloton has stated that it intends to reduce costs while also examining the size of its workforce and production levels in the near future. For some time, the company had been contemplating hiring a new CEO, as stated by Foley and McCarthy. Fortunately enough, that is when McCarthy had only recently entered the conversation. Foley clarified that Barry replacing the CEO job post is a better match for him than anyone he could have imagined. In addition, he also stated that he has always believed that there must be a better CEO for Peloton other than him. Related Article: Garmin's Fenix 7, Epix 2 Release Date: Solar, Sapphire Solar Editions, Improved Battery Life, and More! TikTok announced that it is strengthening its platform policies by implementing a stricter approach, which adds content that promotes unhealthy eating behavior to its list of prohibited content. In a post on its website, TikTok revealed that in the third quarter of 2021, it removed more than 91 million videos that violated its platform policies. Although those videos were removed promptly, TikTok said it is expanding its detection system even more so it can improve "the overall safety of our platform." In August 2021, iTech Post reported a viral TikTok challenge that was later banned due to it being a potentially dangerous activity. In that video, a man was challenged to climb on a stair-like structure made out of empty fruit baskets, thus posing a high risk of stumbling to the ground. With TikTok's strengthened platform policies, users' safety is being highly prioritized as well as inclusion and authenticity. In its post, TikTok said it upholds a "safe, secure, and welcoming environment" through its community guidelines. Read Also: TikTok Milk Crate Challenge Ban: Doctors Warn Lifelong Injuries! What Are The Improved Policies One of the major changes TikTok is putting on its platform is its policy that emphasizes the prohibition of any content that "promotes disordered eating." TikTok cited "over-exercising and short-term fasting" as symptoms of an eating disorder that are oftentimes "under-recognized." As it aims to cover more symptoms of eating disorders, TikTok said its teams remain "alert to a broader scope of the content." According to BBCNews, TikTok was questioned in October by senators in the US who suggested that eating disorder content is rampant on the platform. According to TikTok's post, its "dangerous acts and challenges policy" will implement a stricter approach to prevent videos that may be harmful from spreading across the platform. Its action against suicide hoaxes, on the other hand, will be put under a separate policy so users would learn about it easier. Further, TikTok is also working on making clear that "hateful ideologies" are not fostered on the platform, and that content with such ideas is prohibited. Specifically, TikTok cited deadnaming, misgendering, misogyny, and conversion therapy. Aside from improving awareness within its growing community, TikTok is also opening centers in Washington DC, Dublin, and Singapore this year to boost its monitoring and investigation of cyber incidents. BBCNews said that social media platforms had received criticisms as the safety of young users had become a significant concern. Along with the improved platform policy, TikTok is also working on the "For You" feed feature and said it would remove content from its recommendation if it is inappropriate for the general audience. All these changes are expected to be implemented in the following weeks. In relation to its implementation, users will be prompted to read the improved platform policies before opening the app. A combination of "technology and people" will uphold the policies. Related Article: TikTok Vaseline Trend: Is Slugging Beneficial or a Dangerous Hack? Hana Financial Group's chairman nominee Ham Young-joo / Courtesy of Hana Financial Group By Lee Min-hyung Hana Financial Group is highly expected to make a leap forward under the leadership of its new chairman, Ham Young-joo, who was nominated for the position Tuesday evening. Renowned as a self-made man, Ham will officially take the helm of the group for a three-year term upon confirmation by shareholders and board of directors in their respective meetings next month. He will replace Kim Jung-tae whose decade-long term as chairman will end on March 25. Ham has previously taken on key positions in the group and its banking arm. He led Hana Bank for four years from 2015 to 2019, during which he proved his management skills. The lender set a record with its 2 trillion won net profit under Ham's stable and solid management. The 66-year-old chairman nominee was considered the strongest candidate for the position even before the company's announcement on Tuesday. While leading Hana Bank, Ham has also carried out dual roles as the group's vice chairman since 2016. He is currently mapping out the group's overall environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) strategies amid growing emphasis on transparent and sustainable management here and abroad. The group's chairman recommendation committee spoke highly of his strong communication skills demonstrated when he was the leader of the bank, expecting him to improve office culture for its sustainable growth. Ham is widely known for his sales expertise. When he was chief of the lender's sales unit in North and South Chungcheong provinces, he ranked first in sales performance. Considering his presence as the group's deputy leader after having been promoted to the vice chairman post back in 2016, few doubt his management capability within the group. He was the longest-serving vice chairman among his rivals including Hana Financial Group Vice Chairman Ji Sung-kyoo and Hana Bank CEO Park Sung-ho all of whom have been mentioned frequently as possible candidates for the position of the group's next chairman. Hana Financial Group headquarters in Seoul / Courtesy of Hana Financial Group Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Sung-wook speaks during a press conference at the ministry's headquarters in Sejong in this undated photo. Courtesy of Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Korea has asked the chief of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Wednesday, to have additional discussions on its global tax deal to prevent exporters from shouldering an excessive burden, according to the industry ministry. Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook made the request during a meeting with the organization's Secretary-General Mathias Cormann held in Seoul. In October, the OECD announced that 136 nations had agreed upon a sweeping reform of the international tax system to adopt a 15 percent global minimum corporate tax starting in 2023 to ensure that major multinational companies pay a fair share of taxes wherever they operate and generate profits. During the meeting, Moon stressed the need for the nations involved to have more discussions on remaining technical issues of contention amid concerns over the deal's impact on the country's major exporters. Factoring in the rules of the tax deal, Samsung Electronics is expected to be subject to the scheme. Under the deal, companies with more than 20 billion euros of revenue are required to pay taxes in countries where the revenue has been earned. The bar will be lowered to 10 billion euros in 2030. The OECD chief said that related discussions will continue in order to make the deal take effect next year as planned, while asking for Korea's active cooperation, according to the ministry. The two sides also exchanged opinions on major global economic issues such as supply chains and climate change, and sought ways of cooperation. "Secretary-General Cormann said Korea has been a good model for many OECD nations in its responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and an economic recovery," the ministry said in a release. "He voiced expectations for Seoul's active role and contribution over the course of policy coordination on those issues among the member nations." (Yonhap) Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys frolic in the snow in SW China People's Daily Online) 14:56, February 09, 2022 Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys hug in the snow in the woods in Pingwu county, Mianyang city, southwest Chinas Sichuan Province. (Photo/Hu Yu) Recently, Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys, which are under first-class state protection, frolicked in the snow in the woods in Pingwu county, Mianyang city, southwest Chinas Sichuan Province. Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys are endemic to China. The largest number of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys live in Sichuan province, the largest habitat of this rare animal. There are approximately 10,000 Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys in the Minshan and Qionglai mountain ranges. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Bank of Korea Governor Lee Ju-yeol bangs the gavel to open a Monetary Policy Committee meeting at the central bank in Seoul, Jan. 14. Yonhap By Yoon Ja-young Cheong Wa Dae (presidential office) is reviewing possible candidates to replace Bank of Korea (BOK) Governor Lee Ju-yeol, whose term is over at the end of next month. According to sources, the office has started looking into possible candidates, as Lee's term is set to end on March 31. After making a list of potential candidates, a smaller number of the candidates will then be recommended to the President, after undergoing a screening process by Cheong Wa Dae staff. The President then nominates one of them as the final candidate and requests the consent of, as well as a confirmation hearing by, the National Assembly. Financial industry watchers widely expect Cheong Wa Dae to come up with its nomination of the final candidate only after the March 9 presidential election, so as to reflect the decision of the next president who will be working with the new governor. As a result, economic experts who have joined the camps of the presidential candidates are being mentioned as potential candidates to lead the central bank. They are: Ha Joon-kyung, an economics professor at Hanyang University who joined the camp of ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung, and Seoul National University economics professor Kim So-young, who joined the camp of Yoon Suk-yeol, the presidential candidate of the main opposition People Power Party. Also being mentioned as potential candidates are BOK Senior Deputy Governor Lee Seung-heon, as well as his predecessor Yoon Myun-shik. Additionally, Rhee Chang-yong, the director of the Regional Office for Asia and Pacific at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as well as Shin Hyun-song, Economic Advisor for the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), are among potential candidates. BOK monetary policy board members Cho Yoon-je and Lim Ji-won are also among those who are being mentioned as candidates for the position. Cho has been dubbed the "economics tutor" of President Moon, and Lim is an expert who worked as an economist for JPMorgan Chase. Current Governor Lee started his first four-year term back in April 2014, following his appointment by former President Park Geun-hye. He then served for another four years, as his term was extended by President Moon Jae-in in 2018. Lee was the first BOK governor to serve a second term. However, he is not permitted to serve a third term. If the presidential office fails to nominate a final candidate on time, there is the possibility of the central bank being run by a deputy governor as an interim leader before the next administration comes into power in May. Students head to schools in Seoul in this Dec. 20, 2021 photo. Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji Teachers and parents are showing mixed responses to the education ministry's new guidelines. The new guidelines leave the decision of whether to hold in-person or online classes for the spring semester up to the school. Teachers' unions are criticizing the government for passing the responsibility for quarantine policy on to the schools, while parents are claiming that academic achievement differences should not widen further despite their concerns over the easing of measures to control the spread of COVID-19. Under the new guidelines, schools can change their attendance policy for the new semester depending on the number of infections among their students. To structure these decisions, the ministry suggested a new four-stage system for schools to respond to the virus situation individually, in order to minimize uncertainty among parents and teachers. At levels 1 and 2, schools will run in-person classes, though extracurricular activities will be restricted under level 2. Under level 3, classes will be run in a hybrid manner with both online and in-person classes, while under level 4, all schools will go to online classes only. The ministry also suggested a standard for determining whether schools should shift to online classes: if the number of daily infections at a particular school surpasses 3 percent of the total school population, or if the number of those who are in self-quarantine surpasses 15 percent of the school population, then the school should be allowed to implement level 2 measures; and if a school reaches both criteria, then level 3 should then be implemented. Much of the work to decide quarantine policy is thus being left up to schools and parents. In addition, when an infected person is detected in a school, contact tracing must be conducted by that school's teachers or staff. Among those who had close contact with the infected person, those who show symptoms can get a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, but only with written permission from the school principal. Yoon Hong-geun, the head of South Korea's Winter Olympic delegation, holds an emergency news conference at the Main Media Center in Beijing, Tuesday, declaring South Korea will be taking its appeal of "biased" refereeing penalizing two South Korean short trackers to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Yonhap The Chinese Embassy in Seoul expressed "grave concern" Wednesday over the accusations of favorable judging for the Chinese team in a short track speed skating competition of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Two South Korean skaters Lee June-seo and Hwang Dae-heon were disqualified in the semifinals of the men's 1,000-meter race Monday night, with Chinese competitors reaching the finals. It caused an uproar among many South Koreans, as they regard the short track speed skating judges as having been biased in favor of the Chinese team. In a statement posted on its social messaging account, the embassy took issue with criticism by "some South Korean media outlets and politicians." "We can't help expressing grave concern and proclaim a strict position," its spokesperson stated. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), center, his wife Kim Hye-kyung, right, and DPK Chairman Rep. Song young-gil, left, greet people at Yongsan Station in Seoul, Jan. 31, the eve of Lunar New Year's Day. Courtesy of the DPK election committee By Jung Da-min The ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is trying to defend its presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung and his wife Kim Hye-kyung who are embroiled in allegations of power abuse, but the party's efforts have turned out to be counterproductive, instead, stirring up further controversy. The abuse of power allegations surrounding Lee and Kim came to light in late December when the main opposition conservative People Power Party (PPP) filed a complaint against Lee, Kim and a former official of the Gyeonggi Provincial Government surnamed Bae, claiming that Lee, a former Gyeonggi Province governor, hired Bae to have her carry out secretarial duties for his wife in violation of government regulations. In late January, local broadcaster SBS reported that an official from the secretarial department at the office of the provincial government had been repeatedly ordered by his superior in general affairs, or Bae, to run Kim's personal errands, such as purchasing meat from a butcher, sushi and other foods or cooking ingredients and deliver them to Kim's home in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. When asked about the allegations against Kim that she ordered public officials at the local government to run her personal errands when Lee was governor, DPK Chairman Rep. Song Young-gil said the public officials were selected for the positions in special services from the beginning of their career, so it should have been understood that they were carrying out usual secretarial duties. "Public officials selected for positions in special services usually work like secretaries and there are times when my secretary purchases medicine for me," Song said during a radio interview with local broadcaster CBS, Monday, referring to allegations that Kim ordered public officials to collect medicine for her. However, Song's remarks immediately faced a strong backlash from the PPP, which said the allegations of Kim, if found to be true, are in violation of the relevant government guidelines on protocol for spouses of local government heads. According to the government guidelines, spouses of local government heads cannot have public officials run their personal errands or support personal activities. In addition, Kim could face another charge of violating the medical law, if the allegations that she had public officials use their own prescriptions to acquire medicine for Kim's personal use turn out to be true. On Feb.3, PPP again filed a complaint against Lee, Kim and Bae for violating relevant laws regarding their alleged abuse of power during Lee's tenure as Gyeonggi governor. The case has since been referred to the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office. Members of the main opposition conservative People Power Party stand before the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seoul's Seocho District, Feb.3, as they file a complaint against Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the ruling liberal Democratic Party of Korea, his wife Kim Hye-kyung, and a former Gyeonggi Province official surnamed Bae for violating relevant laws regarding their alleged abuse of power during Lee's tenure as Gyeonggi governor. Joint Press Corps In addition to the DPK chief, Hyun Geun-taek, Lee's election committee spokesman, drew flak for questioning the integrity of the official's revelations. "The male official was appointed for a separate position for secretarial duties from the beginning, introduced by Bae. They had known each other from before his appointment and their relationship is not like those between a reporter and a source. When he recorded (phone calls with Bae) and captured (text messages with Bae) during eight months out of the entire period of his nine months of working with Bae, who he had known from before, how should we view the matter?," Hyun wrote on Facebook, Monday. Hyun said the male official could have asked to leave the position if he really wanted to protest against unreasonable orders. Hyun also criticized the male official indirectly, saying the former official is currently raising donation from members of the public by announcing his account number, which could be seen as the former official using the issue for his personal benefit. Hyun's remarks have also brought criticism from the PPP, which said that it could be an additional attack against the former official who already suffered under the illegal abuse of power. Criticism is also rising in online communities where participants have said the DPK's side should apologize over the matter rather than issuing excuses or casting blame upon the former official who reported the case to the media. Lee and Kim have apologized for the allegations saying they failed to draw a line between personal and official business and did not stop such behavior, but said they were not aware that Bae was ordering her junior staff to run personal errands for the former governor couple. Lee had served as Gyeonggi Province governor since July 2018 but stepped down from the post in late October last year to enter the presidential race. As the controversy continues to grow, Lee said on Feb. 3 that he will be audited by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government. On Wednesday, Kim held a press conference at the DPK headquarters on Seoul's Yeouido, to give a statement over the controversies. "I will cooperate with the investigation (by the prosecution) and audit (by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government) and will take due responsibility once the findings are delivered" Kim said. Kim said she has known Bae since the campaigning period of 2010 Seongnam mayoral election where Lee was elected and that she had met with the former official who reported the case to the media, having been introduced by Bae, but only as a once-off after Lee became the Gyeonggi Province governor. People Power Party presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a policy debate with taxi drivers in Songpa District, Seoul, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps By Nam Hyun-woo With less than a month remaining before the presidential election, the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) are still mounting political offensives against each other over suspicions concerning one candidate's military service exemption, and other allegations involving both candidates' family members. According to the DPK, Wednesday, it has requested the Ministry of Justice to disclose information on PPP presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol's eyesight test administered when he was appointed as a prosecutor. The request came after DPK Rep. Kim Byung-joo claimed, Monday, that Yoon could have dodged his mandatory military service unfairly, citing health records from 1982 saying Yoon could not serve due to a severe difference in the visual acuity between both his eyes. All able-bodied Korean men must fulfill about two years of mandatory military service, but Yoon was exempted from this duty in 1982 because an eyesight test measured his left eye at 0.8 and his right eye at 0.1, a difference of 0.7. He has revealed that this difference remained the same in a 2019 eye test. However, Rep. Kim claimed that the difference was down to 0.2 in 1994 and 0.3 in 2002, which are in the normal range, in eye tests conducted when Yoon was appointed as a prosecutor. Yoon first became a prosecutor in 1994 and quit in January 2002. After spending a year as a lawyer at the law firm Bae, Kim & Lee, he was reappointed as a prosecutor in 2003. The records of his 1994 and 2002 eye tests remain undisclosed. "When he reached the age of military service, his eyesight difference was severe, and it returned to normal when he was prosecutor. And then it became severe again in 2019," Kim said. "That is nearly impossible." Along with the questions about Yoon's eyesight, the DPK is amplifying suspicions that Yoon's mother-in-law engaged in real estate speculation. DPK Rep. Kim Byung-kee said Tuesday that Yoon's mother-in-law, surnamed Choi, owns more than 628,000 square meters of real estate across the country with a combined value estimated to surpass 20 billion won ($16.73 million). The DPK said Choi has already stood trial for manipulating documents while obtaining 529,000 square meters of land in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, and criticized the PPP for turning a blind eye to speculative real estate investments by the family members of the party's presidential candidate. Choi was acquitted in a high court on Jan. 25, and the prosecution appealed to the Supreme Court. The moves are being interpreted as the DPK's attempts to divert public attention from the PPP's continued criticisms against DPK presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung's wife, Kim Hye-kyung. Kim faces allegations that she had ordered public officials at the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Office to run personal errands for her using the office's credit card in 2021, when her husband was Gyeonggi Province governor. PPP Rep. Yoon Young-seok said Tuesday during a National Assembly meeting, "A secretary at Gyeonggi government office said that more than 90 percent of her job was running personal errands for Kim," and that "Lee and Kim seem to have ruled the province as king and queen." Members of civic organizations hold a protest against China, accusing the country of violating basic human rights and calling for a boycott against the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, near the Chinese embassy in central Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap Experts say situation may affect neck-and-neck race By Jung Da-min Anti-China sentiment, which erupted suddenly due to controversial decisions by judges at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, has become an unexpected variable swaying the upcoming presidential election, with swing voters in their 20s and 30s responding emotionally to the incidents. Rival political parties are scrambling to take a dig at China in order to appeal to those voters. Many Koreans, ranging from presidential candidates to the general public, have expressed anger toward China after the disqualification of two of their 1000m short track speedskaters, calling the refereeing decisions "biased and unacceptable." Anti-China sentiment among Koreans was stoked by China's economic retaliation against Korea's deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system and Beijing's nationalism initiative known as the Northeast Project aimed at incorporating the histories of other East Asian countries into China's own history. But the recent controversies surrounding the judgments at the Bejing Olympics coincide with Korea's next presidential election which is just about a month away. Resentment against China has especially been growing in online communities after short track speedskaters Hwang Dae-heon and Lee June-seo were disqualified in the men's 1,000m semifinals, Monday, for violating regulations during their races. But most Koreans believe such judgments were intentionally made in favor of China and cannot be tolerated. Hwang Dae-heon of Korea goes past China's Ren Ziwei and Li Wenlong during the men's 1,000m semifinal 1 short track speedskating event at the Winter Olympics Capital Indoor Stadium on Monday. Newsis The two mainstream rival candidates, Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and Yoon Suk-yeol of the main opposition conservative People Power Party (PPP), swiftly issued strong messages to condemn what they referred to as "unfair" judgments in the Olympics. Political watchers said the situation surrounding growing anti-China sentiment among Koreans can affect the presidential competition, especially when the two rivals, Lee and Yoon, have been in a neck-and-neck race in recent opinion polls. They said the situation could be favorable to Yoon, who had already been using anti-China sentiment in his presidential campaign. For example, Yoon has vowed to deploy additional U.S. THAAD systems if he becomes the next president. Park Chang-hwan, a political commentator and a professor at Jangan University, said the ruling liberal bloc led by President Moon Jae-in and the DPK have focused on keeping good relations and issued neutral messages when dealing with China-related controversies. But he said such diplomatic efforts of the ruling bloc have fueled anti-China sentiment among members of the public. "For example, when controversies rose over China's alleged appropriation of the Korean traditional dress known as hanbok during last week's opening ceremony, the Korean government issued statements with a neutral tone. Culture Minister Hwang Hee belatedly issued a statement of protest but it was only after controversies grew bigger," Park said. "For the PPP's Yoon, who has already been using anti-China sentiment in his campaigning, this could offer a good opportunity to win more support from voters. But Yoon, at the same time, is also being careful not to issue overly strong messages to avoid a situation where the controversies develop into diplomatic issues. . . . The DPK and Lee swiftly issued statements to condemn China's 'unfair' intervention in the Olympics to minimize negative effects from the issue, when the ruling bloc is often associated with its China-friendly policies," Park said. Lee June-seo of Korea, fourth from left, skates among other athletes during the men's 1,000m semifinal 2 short track speedskating event at the Winter Olympics Capital Indoor Stadium on Feb. 7. Newsis Short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon waves the Korean flag after winning the country's first gold medal in the men's 1,500-meter game, Wednesday. Yonhap South Korean short track speed skater Hwang Dae-heon captured gold in the men's 1,500m at Beijing 2022 on Wednesday, bouncing back from a recent officiating controversy for the country's first gold in the Chinese capital. Hwang edged out Steven Dubois of Canada for his first Olympic gold at Capital Indoor Stadium. Semen Elistratov of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) took bronze. Hwang came in 2:09.219, with Dubois checking in at 2:09.254 and Elistratov at 2:09.267. This is the second career Olympic medal for Hwang, who won silver in the 500m at PyeongChang 2018. Two other South Korean skaters in the final, Lee June-seo and Park Jang-hyuk, finished fifth and seventh. There were a record 10 skaters competing for medals. South Korea entered Wednesday, the fifth day of competition, with one bronze medal. The most successful country in Olympic short track history had been shut out in Beijing after two days' worth of races, held back by abrupt falls and what many South Korean officials and fans feel had been biased officiating. Hwang Dae-heon of Korea waves on the podium after winning the men's 1500-meter final of short track speedskating at the Winter Olympics in Beijing, Wednesday. AP-Yonhap By Steven L. Shields I love so much about Korea. I have so many wonderful Korean friends. I could say a lot about the variety and uniqueness of Korean cuisine. Most people are respectful, warm, and friendly. I enjoy the neighborhood where I live. I've found a warm, loving community atmosphere. I know many merchants, and I shop in their stores and eat in their restaurants. The quality of medical care and Korea's national medical insurance are tremendous. I am painfully aware that I am an outsider, a foreigner. But occasionally, I am reminded that I am not a Korean. Sometimes these reminders come unexpectedly and often unwarranted. No matter my legal status as a resident of Korea, I am not ethnically Korean, and I do not look like a Korean. However, there are many legal statuses for non-Koreans. The legal foreign resident is a working, taxpaying member of Korean society. Other foreigners come to Korea for short-term shopping or sightseeing and then return to their homelands. They even get refunds of VAT. Last year, I turned 65 (chronologically). As a legal resident, the national medical insurance I am required (and want) to have gives us oldsters some added benefits. I live and work in Korea; I pay taxes like every Korean. (I also have to pay taxes in the United States on any money I earn in Korea). I pay medical insurance premiums, just like everyone else in Korea. However, I have a Korean friend who complains that foreigners unduly benefit from national health insurance. He contends since I have not lived here for a lifetime and have not paid premiums all my life, I should get no or at the most reduced benefits. His logic is faulty. The whole idea of insurance premiums is to pool funding to give medical care to all in need. And legal residents are required by law in Korea to subscribe to the insurance. I went to Gyeongju recently with my friend. Every historical site that has an admittance fee posts that "those who are chronologically 65 or older get in free." Sometimes an asterisk refers to a disclaimer, "except for foreigners." All foreigners are lumped into one category at these places: "tourists who do not belong to Korea or local society." Tourists should pay, one could argue, but as a taxpaying legal resident of Korea, I am excluded based solely on being non-Korean. My argumentative friend makes the same argument about entrance fees as he does about medical insurance. Oddly, in Gyeongju, some sites willingly offered me the 65-plus entrance, but others did not. One site, managed by the city government, told me that while all Koreans over 65 are free, only senior foreigners who live in Gyeongju can get in free. Sites managed by the Buddhist temples, even though they are in a national park, told me the same thing. I'm not asking for freebies. The admittance fees are little more than pocket change. I'm frustrated with and insulted by a two-tiered system that is applied unevenly. The international airport is another story of two-tier exclusion policies. The Smart Entry Service, in which all legal residents of Korea are enrolled automatically, is no longer available to foreign passport holders. The reason given is "the pandemic," yet one wonders why foreigners (fingerprinted, has a legal residency permit, etc.) are different from Korean passport holders who can continue to use SES. Standing in front of an immigration agent who takes my picture and scans my passport accomplishes nothing different from the SES kiosk. Both systems scan my passport, both systems recognize my residency status, and both systems take my photo and fingerprints. Besides, travelers must present a negative COVID-19 test result in the first place, so the pandemic excuse is invalid. How I wish, as Korean and global societies, we could move beyond such two-tiered approaches. Lately, I've heard about many anti-Asian problems in the U.S. and other places. Some Korean "friends" suggest it's OK for Korea to pay back such discrimination. Tit-for-tat never built a solid, global society. I'm saddened to see some people in my home country act as xenophobes. All want to be acknowledged as human beings and members of society, regardless of where we live or physical appearance. I'm a huge fan of Korea. I fell in love with Korea when I arrived more than 45 years ago. My love affair continues despite the occasional hiccup. But no matter what my legal status, I will always be an outsider. Steven L. Shields (slshields@gmail.com) has lived in Korea for many years, beginning in the 1970s. He served as copy editor of The Korea Times in 1977. He is a retired clergyman and president of the Royal Asiatic Society Korea. Kakao / Korea Times file Kakao has promised to create 20,000 new jobs over the next five years as part of the government's youth job and education support project, the Prime Minister's Office said Wednesday. The operator of Korea's top mobile messenger KakaoTalk will directly hire 10,000 people over the next five years, and foster some 6,000 professional IT technicians through its AI Campus. It will also run support programs for partners and startups to recruit 4,000 people. The plan was declared during a partnership announcement event between Kakao and the Prime Minister's Office for the government's youth job and education support program titled Youth Hope ON held at Kakao's Pangyo office in Seongnam, south of Seoul. The event was attended by Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum and Kakao Chairman Kim Beom-su. Under the Youth Hope ON project, the government provides financing to foster talented youngsters, while companies offer jobs and education programs. Kakao, whose businesses include mobile services, games and banking, said its AI Campus, an employee training facility currently under construction, will be opened to other people in 2024, so that it can produce 6,000 young people specialized in digital technologies over the next three years. The IT conglomerate added that it aims to support 100 startups by investing 300 billion won ($250 million) over the next five years. Kakao also vowed to help its AI Campus graduates start their own businesses and hire workers. Last year, six conglomerates KT, Samsung, LG, SK, POSCO and Hyundai Motor joined the Youth Hope ON project and promised to create 179,000 new youth jobs. The government decided to expand the project to midsize companies and IT platform firms this year. Last month, EcoPro BM, a battery material producer, joined the project and vowed to create 3,000 jobs over the next three years. (Yonhap) LG Electronics' washing machine-manufacturing plant in Tennessee / Courtesy of LG Electronics Korea wins WTO ruling in washing machine dispute with US By Baek Byung-yeul The latest ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) over the Trump-era washer safeguard tariffs is expected to provide an impetus for Korean firms to strengthen their presence in the United States as the decision will clear uncertainties associated with the trade dispute, industry sources said Wednesday. They expect that tariffs imposed on Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and other Korean companies could be lifted in the U.S. as the WTO ruled against Washington's trade restriction measures on washing machines made by Korean companies. On Tuesday, the WTO said the U.S. violated international trade obligations by imposing tariffs on Korean exports of washing machines. In February 2018, the Donald Trump administration accepted claims from domestic companies such as Whirlpool that imported washers caused great damage to them and began imposing a 20 percent tariff on the 1.2 million imported washers produced by foreign makers and a 50 percent tariff on excess quantities. The measure, scheduled to expire in February 2023, was virtually aimed at Samsung and LG, which were increasing their dominances in the U.S. home appliance market. In response, the Korean government filed a complaint with the WTO against the U.S. imposition of the tariffs, claiming they were unfair. Industry officials said the Korean industry welcomes the ruling, which resolves certain risks and uncertainties in their businesses. They also expected the dominance of Korean home appliance makers to grow. "The industry expects the WTO's decision will help enhance Korea's status and put a brake on the abuse of safeguards in addition to washing machines," the official said. Spokespeople from Samsung and LG refused to comment on the ruling, saying the issue is government related. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced it welcomed the WTO's favorable rulings on all five substantive claims, adding the country hopes to resolve the issue with Washington as soon as possible. The U.S. government can appeal the ruling within the next 60 days. "If the U.S. accepts the WTO panels' judgment as it is, the dispute will end, but if it appeals, the dispute will continue. We plan to make efforts to end the U.S. government's washing machine safeguard measures early," a trade ministry official said. "The government will also actively utilize the WTO's dispute settlement procedures to protect the interests of our industry in the future." However, some sources in the local home appliance industry said Wednesday that they don't think the WTO ruling will bring a positive impact immediately, because those home appliance makers built their own manufacturing plants in the U.S. to minimize the impact of the tariffs. "The tariff measure was taken after Korean manufacturers established a local production system, so the industry has judged that the WTO's ruling will have a limited impact," said an industry official asking to remain anonymous. Samsung and LG began operating their production facilities in the U.S. states of South Carolina and Tennessee, respectively, starting 2018. The EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) has opened up unprecedented opportunities for Vietnamese rice. Thanks to the preferential tariffs, the export of jasmine rice and high-quality rice to the EU has never been so good. Viet Nam Customs reported that the country's rice exports to the EU market have not yet recorded a sharp increase in volume, but the export price and value had increased significantly. Rice exports to the market reached 53,910 tonnes in the first 11 months of last year, worth US$38.07 million, up only 0.8 per cent year-on-year in volume but the value grew by 21.6 per cent. The Import-Export Department said this result showed that businesses had effectively taken advantage of the EVFTA to increase the value of rice exports to the EU, especially amid the pandemic, increasing sea freight rates and declining rice imports in the past year. Statistics from Eurostat showed that the EU rice imports fell by 10.9 per cent in volume in the first nine months of last year and 9.3 per cent in value. However, among the 10 major foreign rice suppliers to the EU in the nine months, the Vietnamese rice export price to the EU achieved the strongest growth, up 20.3 per cent, reaching an average of $781 per tonne. Therefore, although the country's rice exports to the EU dropped, the export turnover still rose by 13.2 per cent. With 27 member countries, a population of about 516 million people, and a GDP per capita of more than $35,000 per year, the EU market needs to import a large number of goods, especially agricultural produce. For Viet Nam, this is the third-largest export market of agricultural products, with a turnover of about $5.5 billion per year. But Vietnamese agricultural produce only accounts for 4 per cent of the EU's import market share, and rice accounts for just over 1 per cent of the market share. The Viet Nam Food Association (VFA) forecast the country's rice exports to the EU to increase significantly this year. In particular, the quality of Vietnamese rice has improved, mainly jasmine rice varieties, hitting the tastes of European consumers, said VFA. Taking advantage of the EVFTA to export jasmine rice with 0 per cent tax was in the hands of enterprises with large raw material areas and cultivated in high standards such as Loc Troi, Tan Long and Trung An. In the last days of last year, amid the chaos and difficulties caused by the pandemic, Loc Troi Group (LTG) completed its export of one final batch of rice to Europe, including 4,170 tonnes of jasmine and white rice. It was also the first batch shipped in the form of the bulk carrier to save transport costs amid the pandemic. For the whole year, LTG has exported more than 80,000 tonnes of rice to the EU, the UK, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and neighbouring countries in Asia, earning over VN1 trillion ($43.47 million), or nearly 24 per cent of the group's total revenue. Nguyen Duy Thuan, general director of the group, said that with an order of more than 4,000 tonnes just exported to the EU, the group believed that there would be more rice and agricultural produce produced in a greener and more sustainable direction to meet the strict requirements of the import market. Loc Troi was also the first enterprise to export an order of 126 tonnes of jasmine rice to the EU under the EVFTA, right after the agreement took effect. The group's rice exports accounted for nearly 70 per cent of Viet Nam's total rice exports to the EU last year. Meanwhile, Trung An High-Tech Agriculture Joint Stock Company has also taken advantage of the EVFTA to export thousands of tonnes of rice to Switzerland, France and Germany. Pham Thai Binh, general director of the company, said that the EVFTA continued to bring greater opportunities for Vietnamese agricultural products, including rice. VNS Customers wait in line to purchase Chanel products at Lotte Department Store in Seoul prior to the price hike in June 2021. Yonhap By Kim Jae-heun French luxury fashion house Chanel will withdraw its duty free business from downtown areas starting from March, market insider said on Tuesday. Chanel has been operating only two duty-free stores in Busan and on Jeju Island outside of Seoul in Korea. "International luxury firms have recently been rushing out from the local duty free sector to maintain their premium brand image which has been tarnished by "Daigou" (surrogate shoppers from China). They have been asking for excessive discounts here and some of them have even resold luxury products they purchased in Korea with counterfeit ones in their homeland," the source said. Chanel has taken action against "Daigou" as their purchasing power grew uncontrollably big in Korea. Nearly 90 percent of local duty-free shops' sales in downtown stores come from surrogate Chinese shoppers as COVID-19 continues around the world. Rolex and Louis Vuitton also decided to pull out their business in the sector for the same reason with Chanel as of last year. This is expected to bring a huge impact to duty-free firms as their sales in downtown areas already plunged by some 38 percent in 2020, affected by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Moodie Davitt Report. The government decided to repeal its implementation of a $5,000 purchase limit for shoppers traveling abroad from March but maintained the cap of $600 for domestic travelers. Yet International luxury brands will continue operating their boutiques at airports in Incheon and on Jeju Island. "I think Chanel and Louis Vuitton have come up with a solution that they would rather sell their duty-free products directly to Chinese customers in the mainland than to "Daigou" in Korea," a market insider said. "They want to adjust the number of duty free shops operating in Asia and Pacific Ocean regions focused on the Chinese Market." Meanwhile, other global luxury brands like Gucci, Prada and Burberry have not yet revealed plans of reducing duty free business here yet. They said they cannot comment on the issue due to their headquarters' global marketing policies. By Kim Jae-heun Home shopping channels and other retailers here are going virtual to find new sources of income, targeting mostly cyber-savvy young consumers as they struggle to maintain their traditional businesses amid a rapidly changing market environment, according to industry officials Wednesday. Companies like Lotte Homeshopping, GS Shop and CJ OnStyle have been facing difficulties to improve their declining profitability that has been affected by the emergence of e-commerce firms and a price hike in broadcasting fees. Broadcasting platform operators here have increased their fees for home shopping operators by 20 percent to 30 percent in recent years. The growth of home shopping operators is also hindered by the Broadcast Act as well as their public obligations to protect viewers and pay a broadcasting development fund to the government. Meanwhile, there aren't many obstructive factors for metaverse retail operations yet as they are run mainly on mobile platforms. This has been leading companies to eye a livestreaming shopping service. Lotte Homeshopping is most active in this regard. It started by introducing a virtual model named Lucy in February 2021 and debut her as the show host selling real products in its livestream shopping service. This year, it signed a memorandum of understanding with 13 local information and communications technology (ICT) companies specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), blockchain, non-fungible tokens (NFT), content and cloud computing to establish a metaverse platform. Here, Lotte Homeshopping's customers will experience both products and their brands, which they can later purchase with virtual currency. In April, Lotte Shopping will advance into the non-fungible token (NFT) business utilizing its intellectual property of animated characters in partnership with a Chinese content startup called Beyond Boundary. The two companies agreed to collaborate in developing digital content targeting the Chinese market on local social media channels such as Douyin (TikTok) and Xiaohongshu. "We are planning on creating competitive content in art and culture to promote our new business and become a media commerce company," said Lee Bo-hyun, head of Lotte's media business division. GS Shop, a home shopping affiliate of GS Group, also joined the trend to launch a live commerce platform called Shoppy Live, where it hosts 10 shows a day on average. The company has already surpassed 55 billion won in online orders on the digital platform after only eight months. "Shoppy Live is evolving with broadcasting experts in the field and the combination of technology and marketing. It will continue to grow to provide new shopping experience for our customers," GS Shop Live Commerce Marketing Manager Lee Jin-ho said. CJ OnStyle is preparing to open a live commerce studio adopting VR and XR technologies to sell apparel next summer. Convenience stores to attract young customers with metaverse Convenience store operators are also paying attention to the virtual world mainly to attract young, digital-savvy customers. Here, they are collaborating with local food firms to offer popular items sold at convenience stores on their metaverse platforms. The country's top convenience store brand CU, operated by BGF Retail, signed a collaboration deal with CJ CheilJedang to present its best-selling food products on the global metaverse platform Zepeto. It is BGF Retail's second partnership with the local food company after Binggrae. CU plans to open its stores in the virtual world, where people can choose an avatar to shop for CJ CheilJedang's cooked rice, frozen dumplings and chicken breast. BGF Retail said a total 25 million people have already visited CU's convenience store on Zepeto and purchased some 50,000 items online. The company has diversified its product portfolio recently to sell fashion items like clothes, handbags and hats and it plans to introduce additional products like sweatshirts and training pants. BGF Retail will also set up a photo booth in Zepeto's virtual world for young customers to come take pictures with their friends. "The metaverse has the advantage in attracting customers of Generation Z, who are familiar with digital media. They can go online to visit our store and check out our products that they can actually purchase in the real world. This will create intimacy between our brand and the young customer," a BGF Retail official said. Another convenience store giant GS25 also opened its store on the metaverse platform to invite customers to cook food and play games online. Retailers opening training center in virtual world E-mart's e-commerce firm SSG.com established a virtual training center recently for its new employees called SSG Town. Starting from the first half of this year, it will request its new staffers to undergo training on its metaverse platform, where they can go round the office and meet colleagues with their avatars. SK Group's e-commerce firm 11STREET is also utilizing digital content to provide a seven-week training program for new recruits. "Following the rapidly changing retail trends, local retailers are utilizing the metaverse platform in various means. However, they are all in the early stages and we need to wait and see how they develop until we can fully implement it at full scale," a CJ OnStyle official said. "One thing is for sure, the metaverse is the future for home shopping firms and it is no longer a choice, but a must." Customers visit LX Hausys' exhibition space for its products at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show held in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday. Courtesy of LX Hausys By Kim Jae-heun LX Hausys is speeding up its efforts to target the North American market for engineered stone and artificial marble by participating the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Orlando, Florida, from Feb. 8 to 10. The company is introducing new products with distinctive designs as well as showing where they have been used. LX Hausys has introduced two varieties of its engineered stone called "Viatera," and seven kinds of its imitation marble called "Hi-Macs." Its "Viatera-Calacatta Marina" and "Viatera-Calacatta Verde" products, which add subtle navy and green vein designs to its unique Calacatta pattern of natural-looking marble, have drawn keen attention at KBIS. The Viatera-Calacatta collection is already a popular model in Korea since it first came out in 2021. LX Hausys added navy and green to its products exported to the United States so as to give them more of a natural feel. In addition, its artificial marble products, "Hi-Macs Calacatta Lunar" and "Hi-Macs Pietra," adopt natural marble textures that have attracted the interest of local builders. LX Hausys also invited VIP customers from architecture and kitchen design companies in North America to KBIS. The effort is part of LX Hausys' marketing strategy to win new contracts for its engineered stone after the company established its third production facility in the U.S. state of Georgia in 2020. North America is a key market for LX Hausys, which holds more than 70 percent of the global market for engineered stone. The market is consistently growing, as the demand for high-quality material is increasing there. The company invested $50 million in 2020 to expand its production of engineered stone from 700,000 square meters to 1.05 million square meters, up by 50 percent from the previous year. LX Hausys holds the second-largest market share of 20 percent for imitation marble, after DuPont, in the U.S. LX Hausys' engineered stone also accounts for 10 percent of the market share in the country. "We will actively promote our distinguished design and excellent quality of products through this exhibition, while strengthening our marketing in North America, to solidify our position as a leading company there," a LX Hausys official said. Douzone Bizon headquarters in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province Korea Times file Douzone ICT Group Chairman and Douzone Bizon CEO Kim Yong-woo Former Kumho Petrochemical Senior Vice President Park Chul-whan speaks during a press conference at the Westin Josun Seoul in this March 2021 file photo. Yonhap By Park Jae-hyuk Park Chul-whan, former senior vice president of Kumho Petrochemical, has resumed his efforts to wrestle control of the company away from his uncle, Chairman Park Chan-koo, during the forthcoming proxy season in March. The nephew said Wednesday that he sent a letter to the company, with proposals calling for transparent management and shareholder value maximization. His announcement raised Kumho Petrochemical's stock price sharply, as managerial disputes at chaebol groups prompt investors to expect larger shareholder returns. "Although Kumho Petrochemical has shown record-high earnings, its stock price has remained sluggish. In order for the company to solve that problem and grow into a global enterprise, I decided to send the letter," he said in a press release. "I plan to disclose the details of my proposals to minority shareholders in the near future." He is said to have recommended his allies as successors for the company's two nonexecutive directors, whose terms will end later this year. Kumho Petrochemical said it has yet to receive a letter from him. "Once we finish reviewing his proposals, we will take appropriate measures in compliance with the law," a Kumho Petrochemical spokesman said. Kumho Petrochemical Chairman Park Chan-koo / Korea Times file People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo, front row fourth from left, and American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) Chairman James Kim, front row fifth from left, pose with a delegation of U.S. companies here, during an event at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-keun By Park Jae-hyuk Presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo of the minor opposition People's Party promised representatives of U.S. companies in Korea that he will alleviate business regulations to prompt American and global enterprises to increase their investments here. "We promise to make Korea the best investment destination for U.S. and global companies," he said in a special meeting hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM). Ahn told AMCHAM Chairman James Kim that he will create a corporate environment that meets global standards, expand labor flexibility, introduce flexible work systems, encourage competition among Korean cities to attract U.S. companies and help foreign-invested firms hire highly skilled workers here. Kim said that AMCHAM appreciates Ahn's leadership in setting out foreign direct investment and establishing policies to make Korea the headquarters of many companies in Asia. "We also understand that Mr. Ahn's ambition is to promote more digital transformation and focus on key strategic businesses such as 5G and biopharma," the AMCHAM chairman said. "We need the Korean government's proactive support to win these R&D investments into Korea. Now is a perfect time to put our best effort forward." On a related note, Ahn emphasized the science and technology alliance between Korea and the U.S. "The Korea-U.S. alliance must solve issues related to deepening inequality, carbon neutrality and infectious diseases through science and technology exchange and global cooperation," the candidate said. "The Korea-U.S. alliance, an enduring partnership for economic prosperity and world peace, should develop into a super-gap science and technology alliance." He also had an in-depth discussions with AMCHAM members on the latest global issues, such as management of environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) factors, as well as the nation's gender pay gap. According to AMCHAM, the event was part of a series of meetings with Korea's presidential candidates, ahead of the upcoming presidential election in March. The largest foreign chamber in Korea hosted a meeting with main opposition People Power Party (PPP) presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol last December. The organization said Wednesday's event was attended by members of the AMCHAM board of governors and about 40 U.S. corporate representatives. The World Trade Organization (WTO) logo is pictured in front of their headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 28, 2020. Reuters-Yonhap Korea has won a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute over the United States' safeguard measures on large-sized residential washers and parts, Seoul's trade ministry said Wednesday. The Seoul government lodged the complaint in May 2018, three months after the Donald Trump administration began imposing a 20 percent tariff on a yearly quota of 1.2 million imported washing machines and a 50 percent tariff on machines beyond this number. The measure was extended in 2021 for another two years, with the tariff on up to 1.2 million units standing at 14 percent and 30 percent on anything above. For components of washing machines, the tariff imposed was 30 percent. In a newly published report, a WTO appeals panel said that it could not see any violation of WTO rules by Korea in all of the five core issues surrounding the matter, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Washington failed to clearly demonstrate any links between increased imports of Korean products and serious harm to the U.S. industry, the ministry said, citing the report. A safeguard action can be taken to protect a domestic industry from a sudden surge in imports causing damage to domestic production. The U.S. also inappropriately added American parts production companies to its list of the affected industries, though they are not in competition with Korean makers, it added. The U.S. can file an appeal against the decision within 60 days. If not, the case will be closed within 12 months following relevant procedures. "We will try to put an early end to the safeguard measures upon the WTO panel judgment," ministry official Yun Chang-hyeon said. (Yonhap) A man wears a mask in Los Angeles, Calif., in this Aug. 18, 2021, file photo. Several Democratic-run states have announced plans to lift mask mandates in indoor facilities and schools as coronavirus infections decline in America. AFP-Yonhap Several Democratic-run U.S. states have announced plans to lift mask mandates in indoor facilities and schools as coronavirus infections decline in America. The announcements signal a move towards a policy of accepting COVID-19 as part of everyday life. Mask-wearing became a political battleground in the United States in the early days of the pandemic. Many Democratic governors enforced strict mandates, while Republican-led states such as Texas and Florida banned the enforcement of face coverings. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced Monday evening that the state's indoor mask mandate would end for vaccinated residents on February 15. "CA's case rate has decreased by 65 percent since our Omicron peak. Our hospitalizations have stabilized across the state," tweeted Newsom. "Unvaccinated people will still need to wear masks indoors. Get vaccinated. Get boosted," he added. Children wear masks at East End Elementary School in North Plainfield, New Jersey, Oct. 25, 2021. Reuters-Yonhap Newsom's announcement came after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that children and staff would not need to wear masks in schools from March 7. "This is not a declaration of victory as much as an acknowledgment that we can responsibly live with this thing," he said, referring to the coronavirus. In Connecticut, Governor Ned Lamont said he was recommending that school boards drop mandatory mask-wearing in schools after February 28. Steel maker Hoa Phat Group announced that its subsidiary Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel Joint Stock Company has signed a contract to export the first batch of 35,000 tonnes of hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel to Italy. The first order of the year to Europe opens up a large consumption market for the Hoa Phat Group's products. According to Tran Ngoc An, deputy head of the companys sales department, the shipment is expected to be delivered between February 15 and 20. Hoa Phats HRC is produced on a modern European rolling casting line, meeting strict world standards such as American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), is an international standards organisation that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems, and services as well as Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS). The products are used as raw materials for the production of steel pipes, roofing sheets and other special items such as container shells. Last year, the Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel Joint Stock Company supplied 2.6 million tonnes of HRC steel to the market, of which the export volume accounts for less than 30,000 tonnes. Many foreign customers want to order HRC products. However, the Hoa Phat Group has not been able to meet all the market's needs. This is also the motivation for the group to promote the implementation of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat 2 Steel Integrated Complex project, focusing on producing hot-rolled coil with a capacity of 5.6 million tonnes a year. Hoa Phat's annual steel production capacity reaches about 14 million tonnes, including 8.6 million tonnes of HRC when the complex becomes operational. VNS Some of the best years of my life I miss those people. Good times and memories, but I have moved on. Not my best days, but I have made peace with them. Glad to be away from those people I dont miss the high school experience. Vote View Results On 3 February 1962, US president Kennedy signed proclamation 3447, decreeing an embargo on all trade with Cuba, which was to enter into effect on 7 February. This marked the official beginning of a 60-year blockade (though the imperialist assault had started earlier), which has progressively been strengthened and tightened. The aims of this campaign of imperialist bullying were openly declared in an April 1960 secret memorandum by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs Lestor Mallory. The memorandum, optimistically entitled The Decline and Fall of Castro, starts by establishing the following fact: the majority of Cubans support Castro. Whats the problem, one would think? There is a government in Cuba that has the overwhelming support of the population. Why should this worry the US? Ah, but, as Mallory points out: Fidel Castro and other members of the Cuban Government espouse or condone communist influence. Image: National Archives That is the problem. We cannot allow a country go Communist just because the population supports it!, is what he seems to be saying. This line of reasoning sums up the total worth of Washingtons references to the US defending democracy in its dealings with Cuba. The Cuban people can give itself any government it wants as long as that is the government US corporations want. Punishing Cuba with hunger Incidentally, at the time of writing this secret memorandum, 6 April 1960, the Cuban Revolution had not yet made any statement nor taken any measure which could be described as socialist or communist. It had implemented agrarian reform and had taken steps to reassert its national sovereignty (both national democratic measures). It was only later that same year and in response to US provocations (the refusal to purchase an agreed sugar quota, and the refusal to refine oil at US-owned refineries) that the Cuban Revolution proceeded to expropriate US property on the island, moving very quickly towards the abolition of capitalism. And it was not until a year later, on the eve of the US-sponsored Playa Giron (Bay of Pigs) invasion, that Fidel Castro talked of the socialist character of the revolution. But lets return to Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mallory and his memorandum. Not only is Castros government extremely popular and has communist leanings, he says, furthermore there is no effective opposition. He then considers the question of foreign intervention, which he seems to discard: militant opposition to Castro from without Cuba would only serve his and the communist cause. This is, of course, a sharp insight, but also a piece of cynicism. By this time, the US was already working closely with reactionary forces in Cuba and in Miami, sponsoring a campaign of terrorism, sabotage, aerial bombardment and counter-revolutionary insurgency in Cuba. Perhaps what Mallory was trying to say was that these methods were proving counter-productive, which is true. Not that this appraisal would prevent the US imperialism from organising the counter-revolutionary disembarkment at Playa Giron in April 1961, which was swiftly defeated by the armed workers and peasants of Cuba. What conclusion does Mallory draw from his observations? He writes: The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and disaffection based on economic dissatisfaction and hardship. To achieve that, he then proposes a line of action which makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation, and overthrow of government (my emphasis). So, there you have it in black and white, from the horses mouth. If the Cuban people have the temerity to overwhelmingly support a government that condones Communist influence, then they should be punished, by bringing hunger and desperation until they change their minds and overthrow the government. This is the reasoning behind the policy of aggression US imperialism has followed for 60 years towards the Cuban Revolution. It is a criminal policy based on punishing a whole people for having dared to free themselves from imperialist domination and abolished capitalism. The refusal of US-owned refineries to process oil bought from the Soviet Union led to their state intervention of Texaco, Shell and Standard Oil refineries between 28 June and 1 July 1960. To this, the US replied with a cut in the sugar quota they had agreed to purchase from Cuba, in what was known in Cuba as the Ley Punal (Dagger Law, as it was stabbing the revolution in the back). But the Cuban Revolution did not retreat in the face of economic blackmail. On the contrary, it responded by nationalising (between July and October 1960) all US owned corporations On the island. US president Eisenhower then imposed a ban on all US exports to Cuba, except food and medicine. The 1962 presidential proclamation by Kennedy, imposing an embargo on all trade with Cuba, was therefore not the first measure of economic aggression against Cuba, but it represented a qualitative turning point in the campaign of US imperialism against the Cuban Revolution. It imposed a blanket ban on all US imports from and exports to Cuba, which Washington had earlier calculated would deprive Cuba of hard currency earnings of 60 to 70 million US dollars (about US$650 million in todays currency). The decision was also informed by the complete disaster of the attempted Playa Giron invasion the previous year and was part of a broader programme of sabotage and paramilitary attacks launched from the United States, organised and coordinated by the CIA, aimed at regime change. These activities, under the name of Operation Mongoose, included the infiltration of armed counter-revolutionaries in the island, saw funding of several million dollars, were coordinated at the highest level, by presidential authority, and were supposed to culminate in the overthrow and assassination of Fidel Castro by October 1962. Kennedy had wanted economic action against Cuba to be taken jointly by the Organisation of American States (OAS). At the January 1962 OAS summit in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Washington put pressure on all countries to expel Cuba from the body and subject it to an economic blockade, but did not get unanimity. When it realised it would not get unanimity, it then settled for a two-thirds majority of 14 votes and a watered-down resolution. In order to achieve the necessary 14 votes, Washington agreed to resume aid to Haiti, then ruled by the brutal dictator Francois Duvalier in exchange for a favourable vote at the OAS. The whole operation, clearly, had nothing to do with democracy nor human rights, but rather with containing communism and revolution throughout the continent. There was not even a pretence that it was about anything else. Under instructions from their masters in Washington, the OAS countries expelled Cuba, and 14 of them also agreed to different measures of economic sanctions. It was not until 1964 that the OAS as a whole, under pressure from the US and with the excuse of Cubas support for guerrilla struggle in Venezuela, agreed to a trade blockade against Cuba, with only Mexico voting against. The resolution talks of Cuba having put itself outside the Christian and democratic traditions of the American peoples (!!) But of course, no such action was ever taken by the OAS against ruthless dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Nicaragua (which was ruled by Somoza at the time of agreeing the Cuba blockade), etc. Perhaps these dictatorships did not violate the Christian principles of the American peoples While European countries did not formally join the US blockade, they also sharply curtailed trade with Cuba. It is significant to note that the blockade was originally put into law under the Democratic administration of Kennedy. The failed military invasion of Playa Giron was also carried out under his watch. This should be enough to dispel any illusions that the Democrats in power have a somehow more humane foreign policy. The foreign imperialist policy of the US is bipartisan, as both parties defend the interests of the ruling class. The Cuban revolution responded to Kennedys blockade on 4 April 1962, with a mass rally at which Fidel Castro proclaimed the Second Declaration of Havana, expressing continued defiance against US imperialism and calling for revolution across Latin America. Resilience of the revolution as embargo tightens It is a testament to the resilience of the Cuban Revolution that the blockade has failed to destroy it. There was a short period of time in the 1970s when there was an attempt at normalising relations between Cuba and the US, and there was a partial easing of economic measures, but that came to nothing, and under the Reagan administration in the 1980s the blockade was tightened again. For a whole period of time, the close alliance with the USSR propped up the Cuban economy, though that came with strings attached. But after the collapse of Stalinism in the Soviet Union, the Cuban Revolution was left on its own, suffering a massive economic collapse. It was precisely at this time that new pieces of legislation were introduced by US imperialism, widening the scope of the blockade. The 1992 Torricelli Act, sponsored by a Democrat, backed by Bill Clinton and signed by George W Bush, reintroduced the blockade for subsidiaries of US-based companies and prevented ships that had docked in Cuban harbours from docking in US ports for 180 days. Trump introduced 243 separate measures to tighten the blockade on Cuba, and Biden has continued this policy / Image: Michael Vadon Then came the even-worse Helms-Burton Act of 1996, initiated by Republican representatives and signed by Bill Clinton, which made the US blockade extraterritorial by threatening non-US companies with legal action in the US if they traded or invested in Cuban assets confiscated by the revolution. Later on, particularly between 2002 and 2014, the Venezuelan Revolution provided both a political and an economic lifeline to Cuba, proving the point that, ultimately, the fate of the Cuban Revolution will be resolved in the arena of world class struggle. But the economic crisis in Venezuela has also had a negative knock-on effect on Cuba. 60 years later, a section of the US ruling class has admitted that this policy has not worked and has not achieved its aims. The Obama thaw represented an attempt to pursue the same objectives (to smash the revolution) by different means (through the battering ram of world capitalism). Trump put an end to that policy and introduced 243 separate measures to tighten the blockade, in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, including the activation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, which had been left in suspension. These had a catastrophic impact on Cuba. It is calculated that, in 2020 alone, the blockade has caused US$9bn worth of damages. It should be noted that not a single one of these measures has been repealed by Biden. The US blockade is a criminal policy, which is designed, as clearly explained in the 1960 Memorandum, to punish the Cuban people with hunger for having dared to defy imperialism and having abolished capitalism. The blockade has been consistently condemned by the United Nations General Assembly for the last 30 years. In 2020, only two countries voted against a motion condemning the blockade, the US and Israel. In its report to the United Nations, Cuba estimated the cumulative cost of the embargo over six decades at $148 billion dollars. However, 30 years of UN votes have not changed the position of the US one single inch. This is a demonstration of how toothless of a talking shop this body is. The UN can pass any resolutions it wants. If US imperialism doesnt agree, nothing will be done. On the other hand, if US imperialism thinks it can use the UN as a fig leaf for imperialist intervention, then it will; as in the case of the Congo in the 1960s, the first Gulf War in 1991, or more recently the UN intervention in Haiti. Not all the problems the Cuban Revolution faces stem from the blockade. The isolation of the revolution on a small island with limited economic resources and the existence of a bureaucracy in the state are serious obstacles to building socialism. But certainly, the blockade is a factor of the first order of importance. It is the duty of all revolutionaries, but also all consistent democrats, to wage a consistent struggle against this criminal imperialist blockade and unconditionally defend the Cuban Revolution. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. At all times we aim to respect any personal data you share with us, or that we receive from other organisations, and keep it safe. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com Members of a Whitehall Township gym must continue their fitness journeys elsewhere in 2022. PA Fitness, at 1951 Whitehall Mall, closed permanently on Jan. 14, according to a sign posted on the gyms door. Advertisement PA Fitness gym permanently closed Jan. 14 at the Whitehall Mall. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call) Unfortunately, after months of negotiation, a long-term lease could not be established with the Whitehall Mall, the posted message continues. Whitehall Malls leasing team did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the gyms departure. Advertisement According to the sign, PA Fitness Whitehall membership was transferred to two other Lehigh Valley area facilities: SuperSets gyms at 2417 Nazareth Road in Palmer Township and 2450 Schoenersville Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. PA Fitness Whitehall, a bi-level facility featuring a variety of cardio and weight training equipment along with group fitness classes, was rebranded from Golds Gym in 2020. Regional fitness entrepreneur Kurt Krieger opened the Whitehall location of Golds 16 years ago, after converting the malls former Plaza Theatre and Lehs department store closed since the mid-1990s into the fitness center. PA Fitness gym permanently closed Jan. 14 at the Whitehall Mall. (Ryan Kneller/The Morning Call) Golds Gym, hit hard by the economic shutdown relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, in May 2020 filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 in an effort to financially restructure the company. A couple of months later, Golds Gym Allentown, at 2919 Lehigh St., permanently closed. There are no longer any Golds Gym locations in the Lehigh Valley. While it was difficult to make the decision to close this location, we were unable to come to agreement with our landlord during this unprecedented situation for small business owners, Carol Deluliis, Golds Gyms chief operating officer, said in an e-mail to members of the Allentown gym. We apologize for any inconvenience that this closure may cause and want you to know that we appreciate your support over our time with you the past 12 years in Allentown. Advertisement The news followed the closures of two other area Golds Gym locations in recent years: Golds Gym Phillipsburg, which closed in September 2019 at the now-shuttered Phillipsburg Mall; and Golds Gym Bethlehem, which closed in December 2017 at the Lehigh Shopping Center on Union Boulevard. In a letter to Golds Gym Bethlehem members, Deluliis wrote that the Bethlehem gym was unable to negotiate a fair lease agreement with the shopping center and would be forced to close. An excerpt from an e-mailed message to Golds Gym Phillipsburg members reads as follows: As many have seen through the past 5 years we have tried to do everything we can to be successful inside the mall but the landlord has done just about everything he can to make sure that does not happen. Now with the state of the mall in total disrepair, with it being torn down around us, many people in the community thinking the mall is closed already or even would like to see it torn down really is making it impossible to do any type of business and we can no longer keep operating under these conditions. Business Buzz Daily The daily update for the Lehigh Valley business person. > The Whitehall Mall, which opened in 1966 with 52 stores, including Woolworth, Weis Markets and Zollingers department store, now has a growing number of vacancies. Two of the largest empty spaces were previously housed by Sears department store, an original mall anchor that closed in 2020; and arts-and-crafts chain Michaels, which moved across Grape Street to the Lehigh Valley Mall in 2020. Additionally, restaurant chain Old Country Buffet closed its Whitehall Mall location in 2020. Advertisement Anchor tenants that remain include Bed Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby, Kohls and Raymour & Flanigan. Washington Prime Group, the real estate investment trust that owns Whitehall Mall, in June submitted a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, saying the coronavirus pandemic made the move necessary. The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges for many companies, including Washington Prime Group, making a Chapter 11 filing necessary to reduce the Companys outstanding indebtedness, the trust said in a news release. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy enables a business to reorganize its finances through a court-approved plan. Such action frees a company from the threat of creditors lawsuits while it reorganizes its finances. The company, which spun off from the nations largest mall operator, Simon Property Group, in 2014, has 102 shopping centers, according to documents filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Washington Prime is based in Columbus, Ohio. Allentown developer Nat Hyman wants to turn a dilapidated warehouse near Seventh and Tilghman streets into an upscale apartment complex, but not everyone supports the plan. At a planning commission meeting Tuesday, several Allentown residents spoke against the proposal for 938-952 Washington St. Several attendees raised concerns about the availability of parking in the area and some criticized Hymans reputation as a landlord. Advertisement Several commission members indicated they support the project, but some worried about parking and traffic in the neighborhood. The commission will present comments on the proposal to the zoning hearing board, which will decide whether Hymans project can move forward. Hyman has owned the 96-year-old, 53,000-square-foot building in Allentowns 8th Ward neighborhood for at least 10 years, he said. Its previously been used as a silk mill, distribution center and water conditioning equipment factory. Advertisement Hyman first secured approval from the zoning hearing board to develop the property in March 2020. He originally proposed a 36-unit complex with the first floor serving as parking for tenants. [ Allentowns Nat Hyman wants to convert Washington Street warehouse into upscale apartments ] But he presented a plan Tuesday for a 50-unit apartment complex, scrapping the first-floor parking to make room for more units. Rent would range from $1,000 to $1,250, he said. He told the commission that he signed a 30-year-lease for a nearby garage, bought another nearby garage, and will fit several parking spots in the courtyard for future tenants, providing 49 spots. Hyman said he was not entirely comfortable with the plan for first-floor parking, so when he was able to secure a second garage, he changed the buildings plan.. Even with the supplemental parking, commission members and neighbors worried about the impact on traffic and parking in the neighborhood. Parking is already a struggle in the 8th Ward, and the 50-unit complex could cause additional strain, they said. Robert Riegel, an Allentown resident, said some tenants could use the garage space for storage rather than parking, which he said is a common problem in Allentown. . Where is the assurance those garages are not then going to be utilized for storage by his tenants, creating an even larger parking problem after the elimination of the first-floor parking? Riegel said. Hyman said that hes not a policeman and cannot force tenants to park in the garage instead of the street. Hymans attorney, William Malkames, suggested Hyman require tenants to park in the garage in their lease. Advertisement Brandon Wunder, a community activist and director of Allentown nonprofit the Alternative Gallery, called the proposal an unacceptable project and criticized Hymans reputation as a landlord. He distributed to planning commission members a letter Hyman Properties sent in March 2020 that told tenants they would be evicted if they did not pay their rent on time. Hyman publicly apologized for the letter and reversed course so residents would not be evicted during the pandemic. [ Nat Hyman apologizes for company letter threatening to evict tenants who dont pay rent during coronavirus pandemic ] You are going very far off from the issue here today, Malkames said as Wunder handed copies of the letter to commission members. No, this all ties in, Wunder said. You are not going to get approval on this project because you dont care about the neighborhood, he continued. The reason youre pushing for more [units] is because you want to maximize your profit. Advertisement He said the building should be used for manufacturing or industry so neighbors in the area have a place to work within walking distance. Hyman defended his proposal and said his company, Hyman Properties, has done as much for the city as almost anybody by converting blighted buildings into apartments. He said that turning the building into an industrial or manufacturing space is not feasible because its in an urban, dense area and lacks loading docks and truck access. First Call Daily Leading local stories delivered on weekday mornings > In some regards what we have done for the city of Allentown is more important than simply putting up all those new glass towers, Hyman added, referring to downtown development. Haters are going to hate, no matter what I do, he added. We certainly do appreciate what youre doing for the city and your contributions. .... Im a little bit less comfortable with the parking situation than I was two years ago with 35 spaces on site, planning commission member Mark Buchvalt said. Im a little bit less comfortable, but personally Im still on board. Planning commission Chair Christian Brown said the commission would present comments from the meeting to the zoning board, but did not specify whether the commission would recommend approval. Advertisement I think we can maintain the faith that we have in the past in our zoning hearing board to properly evaluate this revised application, Brown said. Wunder vowed to canvas the surrounding neighborhood and organize residents to oppose the proposal at the zoning meeting. The next zoning meeting is at 7 p.m. Feb. 21, but the Washington Street project is not yet on the agenda. Morning Call reporter Lindsay Weber can be reached at 610-820-6681 and liweber@mcall.com. China's financial regulators have issued a plan to advance standardization of the financial sector over the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). The authorities plan to improve standardization in a wide range of areas, including supervision, risk prevention, financial technology, green finance and digital currency, with the goal of basically establishing a financial standard system that fits modern finance in 2025. The document was jointly published by the People's Bank of China, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The country will improve the monitoring and early warning of financial risks, especially in internet finance. Efforts will be made to guide the use of technologies, including cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence. The utilization of financial data will be under better management to ensure the protection of public security, business secret and personal privacy. The Chinese government published 137 national and industrial standards in the financial sector between 2016 and 2020 and the standardization played an increasingly important role in serving the real economy, warding off risks and deepening reforms. The authorities plan to improve standardization in a wide range of areas, including supervision, risk prevention, financial technology, green finance and digital currency, with the goal of basically establishing a financial standard system that fits modern finance in 2025. The document was jointly published by the People's Bank of China, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The country will improve the monitoring and early warning of financial risks, especially in internet finance. Efforts will be made to guide the use of technologies, including cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence. The utilization of financial data will be under better management to ensure the protection of public security, business secret and personal privacy. The Chinese government published 137 national and industrial standards in the financial sector between 2016 and 2020 and the standardization played an increasingly important role in serving the real economy, warding off risks and deepening reforms. With COVID case numbers continuing to decrease, Parkland School District will switch from mandatory to optional masking Monday while Bethlehem Area School District is considering doing the same, officials in both districts said. In a notice to parents, Parkland superintendent Mark Madson said COVID-19 metrics trending in a positive direction has prompted the district to end contact tracing and quarantining for asymptomatic students and employees, except for unvaccinated household contacts, starting Thursday. Masking will go from required to recommended, starting Monday, Madson said. Advertisement Since [Jan. 18], when the Parkland School Board approved an updated Health and Safety Plan, our community has experienced a decline in both community and school cases, all students have had the opportunity to become fully vaccinated, and anyone over the age of 12 has been able to receive a vaccine booster, Madson said in the notice. Additionally, case counts across the county, hospitalizations, the positivity rate, and the rate of transmission have all trended down over the past few weeks. While keeping our schools open for full time in-person instruction within a safe environment remains our number one priority, we recognize that this includes a responsibility to move our community closer to a sense of normalcy, he said. Advertisement Parkland will continue symptom screening, enhanced cleaning and sanitizing, personal hygiene reminders and social distancing to the maximum extent feasible, the notice states. We will continue our weekly monitoring of data to remain flexible and responsive to a need to move to a more or less restrictive environment and will communicate those changes when necessary, Madson said. Meanwhile, Bethlehem superintendent Joseph Roy said decreasing case numbers puts the district in a safer place to consider moving away from mandatory to optional masking. First Call Daily Leading local stories delivered on weekday mornings > The numbers are really moving in a positive direction, Roy told parents in a YouTube video Wednesday. Before this month, out of the districts 13,000 students, an average of 85 per day were sent home with symptoms, Roy said. Thats dropped down to 50 students being sent home during the first eight days of February. We have fewer [students and employees] out sick or quarantined, he said Reduced numbers ... have our health and medical experts rethinking the need for mandatory masking. The growing consensus is that were near the point where we can move away from mandatory masking. Well continue to meet with our city health bureau and with our [St. Lukes University Health Network] experts to develop whats our next step [in COVID mitigation]. Roy cited as another positive factor the reduced number of people getting sick from the more contagious omicron variant, which first appeared in late fall. More people are getting vaccinated and boosted, he said. Theres [also] some natural immunity out there as well. The severity of the cases are down. Hospitalizations have dropped off significantly in the last week or so, so were in a safer place. Advertisement Roy said he plans to update the school board at its Monday meeting and discuss continuing COVID mitigation strategies Morning Call reporter Andrew Scott can be reached at 610-820-6508 or ascott@mcall.com. Northampton County hopes it has a solution to its yearslong staffing shortage, which have only been made worse by the coronavirus pandemic: day care for workers children. The idea is being pulled from a 2019 plan the county developed on ways to retain workers. But its being considered as the nearly 2-year-old global pandemic has exacerbated the struggle over hiring and retaining workers across the country, including at public nursing homes like Gracedale. Advertisement This is probably the most challenging time for this nursing home, said longtime Northampton County Council member Ronald Heckman, who formerly was human services director. Advertisement County Human Services Director Susan Wandalowski said at last weeks council meeting that having child care either at Gracedale or near the Upper Nazareth Township nursing home would help keep employees and attract new ones. Its one of the last things we havent tried, Wandalowski said. Wandalowski did not have a timetable for starting the day care facility, but she told The Morning Call last week that it takes at least three months to obtain a state license. She said it would be better to hire a private day care provider than having the county run it. Wandalowski did not provide council members with a cost; county spokesperson Becky Bartlett said this week a cost estimate is not available because a contract has not been drafted yet. While this would be a pilot program, Wandalowski said it could be expanded. Obviously, Gracedale has the most significant need, she told council of the facility, which employs about 600 people. Advertisement Council members seemed generally warm to the idea. Its a big plus with working families, Council member Kerry Myers said. Contacted for comment this week, Jim Irwin, staff representative with Local 1435 of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the larger of two unions representing Gracedale workers, said he had not heard about the day care proposal but it could be a good thing to keep or draw workers. I dont think anyone wants the [patient] census brought down, said Irwin, who is also president of the Lehigh Valley Labor Council. The home has 433 residents, Gracedale administrator Jennifer Stewart-King said, less than its 688-bed capacity. Limiting admissions is a strategic move, she said, because it helps bring up the hours of patient care per day. Pennsylvania sets a minimum of 2.7 hours per patient day for staff nurses, according to county officials. Hours by other workers, such as therapists or the National Guard, do not factor into the calculation, Stewart-King said. Advertisement With 433 patients, Gracedale would need at least 146 nurses to deliver 1,160 hours per day of patient care, Bartlett said. But Gracedale, because of its trouble hiring and keeping staff, has fallen below 2.5 hours, Stewart-King said. Council member John Brown expressed concern about the decline in the hour-per-day measurement at Gracedale. While noting COVID could offer the county some leniency, Brown, the previous county executive, said Gracedale risks losing its state license to operate. Stewart-King said she has been in contact with Pennsylvania Department of Health over the matter and disputed that the home was in danger of losing its license. [ Pennsylvania nursing homes are facing a staffing shortage. Heres how Lehigh Valley facilities have had to adjust. ] First Call Daily Leading local stories delivered on weekday mornings > Stewart-King said more than 60 people are on a waiting list to enter Gracedale. Heckman recalled when the list was at times twice as long. Gracedales problems are nothing unusual: Just as hospitals are facing staff shortages, many nursing homes, assisted living facilities and senior care facilities across the Lehigh Valley and the country are having difficulty finding enough employees, which has limited the number resident admissions amid dealing with COVID-19. And with hospitals offering bonuses of $20,000 or more for nurses, and for-profit nursing homes paying more, Gracedale is getting squeezed. The federal COVID-19 vaccine requirement for medical staff also cut into Gracedales staff. The facility lost about 50 employees because of the vaccine mandate, Stewart-King said. The county enacted the vaccine mandate last summer. Advertisement It is not uncommon for nursing homes to have day care for their workers, said Chase Cannon, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Affiliated Healthcare & Living Communities, a Harrisburg nonpartisan group that supports and advocates for private and public nursing facilities. Cannon did not have specifics on the number of homes with the service. Cannon said having a day care should be considered as part of the conversation of the whole staffing solution. As one of 17 county-owned care homes in the state, Gracedale, like Cedarbrook in Lehigh County, houses people who cant afford private nursing homes. Morning Call journalist Anthony Salamone can be reached at asalamone@mcall.com. This article is part of a yearlong reporting project focused on redistricting and gerrymandering in Pennsylvania. It is made possible by the support of Spotlight PA members and Votebeat, a project focused on election integrity and voting access. HARRISBURG A panel has approved a new Pennsylvania House map that meets the requirements laid out in the state constitution, while creating more districts that could be won by Democrats. Advertisement The Legislative Reapportionment Commission a five-person panel composed of the top General Assembly leaders and an independent chair voted 4-1 to approve both the state House and state Senate maps on Friday. House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff, R-Centre, was the lone no vote, arguing that the creation of more Democratic-leaning seats in his chamber was done for political reasons. Data tests, however, show the map better reflects the partisan makeup of the state as well as population shifts over the past decade. Advertisement The process may not be over yet. Anyone can bring a challenge to either map to the state Supreme Court as part of a 30-day protest period that began Friday. The Pennsylvania Constitution explicitly lists four requirements for state House and Senate districts: compactness, contiguity, minimal splits and equal population. Heres how the final map stacks up on those and other measures: >> MY MAP: Search now to see your old and new legislative districts Compactness Compactness looks at how close together all parts of a district are. Its meant to prevent protrusions that would isolate some residents of a district. The Pennsylvania Constitution mandates that districts be compact, but it does not specify a metric or minimum threshold to measure districts. The final House plan has an average level of compactness, scoring better than the current map on two commonly used metrics, the PolsbyPopper test and the Reock scale. Scored on a scale from 0 to 1, where 1 equals maximum compactness, the final plan hits 0.35 on the Polsby-Popper scale and 0.42 on the Reock scale. The current House map scores 0.27, and 0.36, respectively. Contiguity Contiguity means that there is no part of a district that is detached from the rest or completely isolated. A noncontiguous district looks like an archipelago. The final House plan fulfills this metric. Split minimization This metric is intended to keep communities together. Mapmakers aim to reduce county, municipal and voting precinct splits, though most tend to focus on reducing the first two. Compared to the current state House map, the final House plan reduces the number of county and municipality splits: 221 to 186, and 124 to 92, respectively. Advertisement Population equality The Pennsylvania Constitution mandates that districts have the same number of residents. Per a U.S. Supreme Court case from the 1980s, the commonly accepted deviation from this standard is 10% for the overall map. The overall population deviation of the final map is 8.65%. Partisan fairness The top Republican on the Legislative Reapportionment Commission has accused the panel of creating a partisan gerrymander in favor of Democrats. A look at various metrics shows the final map favors the GOP. One such metric is proportionality, which looks at whether the likely results of elections in each district, based on past electoral data, would result in a group of elected officials that reflects the ratio of Democratic and Republican voters in the state. Daves Redistricting App, a nonpartisan mapping website dedicated to creating and analyzing district maps, called the final map Very Good for proportionality, with a much smaller Republican lean than the current map. Depending on which past election data is used, Daves Redistricting finds the likely number of Democratic seats would be 98. The number of Democratic seats that is closest to proportional is 102. Advertisement The Princeton Gerrymandering Project, another nonpartisan group that reviews district plans across the country, pegged the number of Democrat-leaning seats at 101 in an analysis for The Inquirer, compared to the current maps 85. Competitiveness Competitiveness indicates how many districts have an even balance between Democratic and Republican voters, which minimizes one party dominating an area. Redistricting advocates argue that districts with this composition will be represented by legislators who are more responsive to voters, as their districts are less safe. Daves Redistricting rated the map as less competitive, labeling only 13.91% of its districts as competitive compared to the current maps 18.65%. Both are still a far cry from what Daves Redistricting calls a good level of competitive districts, around 75%. Minority representation Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > Properly representing communities of color, which are driving Pennsylvanias population growth, was a goal of high importance during the Legislative Reapportionment Commissions meetings. When possible, mapmakers aim to create majority-minority districts those where the majority population is constituted by a minority group. The final House plan scores better than the current map does on minority representation. Advertisement There are 25 districts where either one minority community or a coalition of minority communities represent the population majority the same as the current map. But the proposed map also creates 19 districts with minority populations that are greater than 35%, creating a meaningful voting bloc, while the current map has only 13. This story was adapted from previous Spotlight PA reporting. WHILE YOURE HERE... If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Allentown police are looking for witnesses to a Tuesday afternoon shooting. Officers responded at 1:50 p.m. to North Second and Court streets, and found a man with a gunshot wound a couple blocks from that location, police Capt. Thomas Anderson said. The man was taken to an area hospital, where hes expected to survive, a news release states. Advertisement Police ask anyone with information to contact detectives at 610-437-7721 or the police desk at 610-437-7753, ext. 1. Anonymous tips can be texted via the Tip411 App on the Allentown Police Facebook Page or website. Morning Call reporter Andrew Scott can be reached at 610-820-6508 or ascott@mcall.com. A FedEx delivery truck driven by Devon Lindeman collided with a motorcycle on Route 145 in North Whitehall Township on Father's Day 2020, killing Robert and Mary ORourke of Lower Macungie Township, police say. (Scott M. Nagy/The Morning Call) Devon Lindeman was driving with the doors of his FedEx delivery truck open, not wearing a seatbelt and had a beverage jug in one hand in the seconds before he collided head-on with a motorcycle, killing a married couple, in June 2020, video shows. Dashboard video from the truck played in court Wednesday during Lindemans preliminary hearing on vehicular homicide and reckless endangerment charges shows him drinking from the jug and glancing at something near the floor of the truck before it veers to the right side of Route 145 in North Whitehall Township. Advertisement In a split-screen view, Lindeman is seen struggling to regain control of the truck and falling out of the drivers seat as it crosses into the opposing lane and hits Robert and Mary ORourkes motorcycle before plunging through a guardrail and into a swampy ravine. After hearing testimony from state police crash reconstruction experts, an off-duty Allentown police officer who was first to arrive at the crash and viewing dashboard and training videos, District Judge Jacob Hammond found prosecutors had shown enough evidence to support the charges and ordered Lindeman to stand trial in Lehigh County Court. Advertisement The courtroom was filled with the ORourkes parents, siblings and children, some of whom stood shoulder to shoulder with Lindeman to watch the video on a state troopers laptop computer screen. Devon Lindeman, 23, is charged with vehicular homicide and drunken driving in a Montgomery County crash that killed a man and seriously injured two women. (Contributed Photo/Montgomery County District Attorneys Office) Lindeman, 23, of South Whitehall Township was charged with the ORourkes deaths in December, three months after another deadly crash in Montgomery County for which he is facing vehicular homicide, aggravated assault and drunken driving charges. On Sept. 18, Lindeman was drunk and speeding in Lower Providence Township when he crossed into the oncoming lane and hit a vehicle, killing driver Paul Conaway, 63, of Chester County, according to Montgomery County district court papers. Conaways passengers, ages 56 and 23, were seriously injured. In the North Whitehall crash, Lindeman was driving for 570 Logistics, a subcontractor of FedEx, headed south on Route 145 near Clearview Road in the afternoon of June 21, 2020. State police Cpl. Brianne Glad said evidence showed the passenger side wheels of the truck went off the pavement into the soft shoulder of the southbound lanes. Allentown police officer Andrew Fegely was driving north in his cruiser, which he is allowed to take home because he has a K9 partner, when he saw the FedEx truck fishtailing and it forced him onto the shoulder. His vehicles dashboard camera captured video of the truck passing and of the crash moments later when Fegely turned around to follow it. I saw stopped traffic, debris in the roadway, a motorcycle engine and the FedEx truck was over the embankment, Fegely said, adding that he saw one of the riders on the ground in front of the truck and Lindeman appeared to be in shock. Glad testified the crash was attributable to driver error and speed, noting Lindeman was doing several things he had specifically been warned against in his driver training with the company, including driving without a seatbelt. Those factors led to the crash. He was not able to maintain control of the vehicle, Glad said. If he was seatbelted, he might have been able to control the vehicle. Advertisement Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > The fact that driving a commercial vehicle without a seatbelt is a violation of state and federal law is a basis for the vehicular homicide charge, which requires prosecutors to prove Lindeman was reckless in ignoring a significant and unjustifiable risk that resulted in the accident, Chief Deputy District Attorney Paul Bernardino said. He was doing everything he wasnt supposed to do. The net result is that once he started to leave the road there was no correction and he hit two people on a motorcycle, Bernardino said. Lindemans attorney, Gail Marr, argued his clients conduct didnt warrant the vehicular homicide charges and it was insane and absurd to say driving onto the shoulder while negotiating a curve constituted recklessness. My argument is that there is no crime here, Marr said. Unfortunately, I think there is evidence that my client was careless and maybe he was negligent. Marr questioned Glad about whether she had verified that Lindeman had actually seen the training videos she presented as evidence that he should have been aware of the risks of driving a delivery truck without wearing a seatbelt, open doors and only one hand on the steering wheel. One of the videos included dashboard camera footage from a crash in which a driver using a cellphone and not wearing a seatbelt falls out of the drivers seat while making a turn and drives off the road, hitting a house. Glad said the training company provided paperwork indicating Lindeman completed a quiz on the video as part of his training but did nothing further to verify Lindeman saw the video. Advertisement Robert ORourke, 55, and Mary ORourke, 54, of Lower Macungie Township were celebrating Fathers Day in Bethlehem before the crash. The couple was known for helping military veterans and animals in distress. They also helped start a motorcycle ride to raise money for those facing addiction after losing one of their own children to an overdose. Two years ago, Gov. Tom Wolf delivered a budget address with fire and passion. To encourage more investment in education, Wolf outlined the challenges facing overwhelmed Allentown schools Superintendent Thomas Parker. He was drowning in charter school debt and stuck with schools built generations ago. Advertisement To call for more investment in workforce and career development, Wolf shared the story of Bucks Countys Neishmairy Ruiz. Given a training opportunity, the mother of two rose from machine operator to supervisor and moved her family into an apartment. By personalizing the needs, Wolf made an emotional impact. Advertisement That fire and passion were lacking when Wolf gave his final budget address Tuesday. He outlined many of the same needs, including more money for education and job training. But his address was predictable. And he omitted points that deserved to be raised one more time. Thats understandable. This was the easiest budget address Wolf had to deliver in his eight years in office. The state has a vault of cash. A surplus of $6 billion is projected when the fiscal year ends in June. Another nearly $3 billion is tucked away in a savings fund. Wolf, a Democrat, took a victory lap Tuesday. He celebrated how Pennsylvanias finances have rebounded during his tenure. He rightfully also gave credit to those around him in state government, including the Republican-controlled Legislature, for putting politics aside and working together to right the ship. The recovery was aided, of course, by a big handout of federal COVID-19 aid that makes the states finances look even rosier. Wolfs proposed budget calls for more spending, including on schools, colleges, health care and corrections. Its easy to call for more spending when the money is on hand. Advertisement But he could have driven home the point better. [ Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs final budget seeks biggest-ever increase in funding for public schools, would cut corporate taxes ] I was pleased to hear Wolf say that failing to fund education equitably doesnt save money. It costs us. Spending is higher for social services, remedial programs and prisons. When a workforce isnt developed, economic growth is stunted. I raised the same point in a column in December. I wrote that Id rather my tax dollars pay for schools than prisons and welfare. Wolf didnt mention it in his address, but his budget continues to call for charter school funding reform. Budget documents say the state could save $373 million annually. Savings would come from changing special education funding so its based on actual costs instead of projections, and by setting a statewide tuition rate for cyber charters. Advertisement In his speech, Wolf again pleaded with state lawmakers to raise Pennsylvanias insultingly low minimum wage, $7.25 an hour. We are literally surrounded by states that are giving minimum wage workers a better deal, he said. This is embarrassing. Wolf did not repeat his call for a severance tax on fracking, which lawmakers have ignored. I wish he would have. Pennsylvania continues to give up a ton of money that could be put to good use. It doesnt matter that the states savings account is full now. We should do what other fracking states have done and maximize the revenue from our natural resource that is being harvested for profit. The good times may not last. Deficits are projected starting in 2023-24. More tax revenue sure would come in handy then. Advertisement Wolf still supports a severance tax, his spokeswoman said. Legislation could be introduced soon, as it has in previous years. The governor has been steadfast on his position on this issue and he still believes the commonwealth could realize billions in new revenue like all the other gas producing states, spokeswoman Beth Rementer told me. Unfortunately, the Republican Legislature refuses to engage in this, even when many in the Legislature and general public support this, she said. Pennsylvanias citizens deserve their fair share of revenues from the natural gas industry. Gov. Tom Wolf delivers his budget address for the 2022-23 fiscal year to a joint session of the Pennsylvania House and Senate in Harrisburg. Behind Wolf are House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, left, and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. (Matt Rourke/AP) [ Gov. Tom Wolf touts Pennsylvanias strong financial position. Why thats only half the story ] Tuesday, Wolf noted that Pennsylvanias financial turnaround was not achieved by raising taxes. He had called for raising them, though, during his term. In addition to a severance tax, last year Wolf called for raising personal income taxes. That was not a good idea during a pandemic. Wolfs proposed $1.75 billion increase in K-12 education funding is what will make headlines from his final address. Advertisement But I hope what he said toward the end of his time at the podium in the Capitol is heard, too. He said negotiations with lawmakers on his final budget are an opportunity to remind the world that democracy works. In our political system, the future belongs to the coalition-builders and the consensus-seekers. Those who understand our true impact can only be measured by the work we actually get done for the people whose lives we actually improve, Wolf said. Thats a good thing. Those are the people you want in charge. Whats happening now, what were seeing now in this country, thats something different. A significant number of our political leaders are turning against the very idea of democracy itself. And that kind of nihilism is poisonous. It denies the whole idea of civil disagreement. It denies the whole idea that we can eventually find common ground without force. It denies that democracy can ultimately bring us to a better place. Im glad Wolf is passionate about that. Advertisement Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com This column was updated Feb. 10 with comments from Wolfs spokeswoman about his support of a severance tax. [ Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolfs final budget address: Read the full text ] There is an African proverb that reads, If we stand tall, it is because we stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. We live in a time where white parents balk at teaching white children the true history of America. Joy DeGruy declares that Americas pathology is her denial. Advertisement Truth is, America wouldnt be the country that it is today without the enormous wealth built on the free labor of enslaved Africans, governmental subsidies and set-asides to build white wealth and government-sanctioned discriminatory practices to control, impoverish, incapacitate, and incarcerate Blacks in America. Notwithstanding the tortured and oppressive history of Blacks in America, it is imperative one understand that Black history did not begin on the Nina, the Pinta, the Santa Maria or in the hulls of so-called slave ships. Advertisement Black History Month is about the legacy of greatness and enormous contributions that people of African descent have made and continue to make to the world. Black History Month is necessary because those contributions, empires, dynasties and kingdoms have been conveniently erased from United States history books. Horrifically, Black history in the U.S. has been relegated to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream speech, the account of Crispus Attucks being the first person killed in the American Revolution and the stories of George Washington Carver discovering additional uses for the peanut. Hasshan Batts. Photo by Marco Calderon. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Black children are attacked by dogs and water cannons during a May 1963 protest against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. (Michael Ochs, Archives via Getty Images) Anti-Blackness is entrenched in the fiber of America. Racism and distorting history to support a white supremist narrative not only harms Black and Brown children in classrooms across our communities who rarely see themselves reflected in leadership or the pedagogy, but it also harms us by erasing, and destroying our humanity. Black History Month is a time for reflection, a time to decenter whiteness in our learning, a time to challenge the distorted history that most of us have been indoctrinated into believing and an opportunity to practice cultural humility and investigate the successes of the past, revel in the contributions of Africa to the world and acknowledge the pain and terror subjected on a people because of the color of their skin. Furthermore, Black History Month is a time to interrogate the local distribution of power, privilege, politics and wealth. We are at a pivotal moment in history. And just as we watch documentaries as our forefathers were hosing and being hosed, spitting and being spat on or assaulting our 7-year-old children for merely wanting to attend schools with adequate books, it is imperative we realize there will be stories told of this moment in time. Documentaries are being made before our eyes, and it is upon us to determine what side of history will we stand on. Black History Month is a trigger for many, and the culprits of the moment are the Black Lives Matter movement and critical race theory. Historically, any counternarrative to the whitewashed dominant narrative that challenges the status quo and disrupts the American inequities is vilified. The enslavement of Africans was sanctioned by law. And to escape said enslavement was not only illegal but diagnosable as a mental illness, drapetomania, characterized by the pathological desire to escape slavery. Advertisement We live in a time of the undeniability that this country, its wealth and its legacy stand on the shoulders of our ancestors. In this month I ask we recognize those shoulders bore brilliance, greatness, resistance, rebellion and revolution. It is important to know, contrary to the doctrine of manifest destiny, Africa was not and is not a dark continent. And people of African descent are not the villains in a heroes journey of the American Dream. The late, great poet Tupac Shakur said, Lets change the way we eat, lets change the way we live and lets change the way we treat each other. I would add: And lets change the way we as a community think. We believe healing begins with acknowledgement, and the first step in the journey towards compassion is to know and understand our history. Without that knowledge, we can never understand the resilience, triumph and generational trauma and dehumanization that is and has been the Black experience in America. This Black History Month I challenge my neighbors to immerse themselves in African Studies and contemporary Black issues, to support Black leadership, local Black businesses and Black-led nonprofit organizations and to challenge the assumptions and biases we all hold that impede our collective progress as a community. Hasshan Batts is a community epidemiologist and executive director of Promise Neighborhoods of the Lehigh Valley. Our students begin 2022 during a pandemic that has interrupted their lives and added many changes to their education. Change has been the constant. Communities In Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania invites our partners in public education to seize this moment of change and rethink and reimagine what a positive school environment looks like, where every child can grow and succeed in the classroom and beyond. Advertisement Even before we ask the question Are our children ready for school? we need to ask an even more important question, Are our schools ready for our children? For schools to be ready for students, they need to create thriving, nurturing climates that reengage in an inclusive environment. Schools need climates that celebrate success, welcome diversity, engage families and address students trauma and social emotional needs. Every school must have a healthy and positive school climate that inspires creativity and removes barriers to academic success and growth. Advertisement If we are serious about educating every child for a 21st century workforce, public schools need to address fundamental flaws. Too often, our students and families are not engaged, connected, or made to feel welcome. While some schools embrace needed change, many of our schools do not place a high enough value on cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity. Students and their families of color face unique obstacles, systemic barriers and school practices that fail to create equitable learning environments. This leads to lower average grades in core classes. Using Communities In Schools (CIS) case managed students as an example, Black students scored 15 points lower and Hispanic students scored 20 points lower in core classes compared to white students. Bias, disrespect and racism affect students experiences with curricula and teachers that affect academics, attendance and discipline. Students of color are disciplined more severely and more frequently. Considering CIS case managed students, only 16% white students compared to 23% students of color received discipline, pushing them into the school-to prison pipeline. Students and families of color are the ones who are affected most by disciplinary policies and a system that too often gives up on our childrens success. Tim Mulligan (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO) Eighth-grade students at a school in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn on Jan. 23, 2020. A thriving school with a positive school climate includes these three pillars of success. Schools that welcome and engage families: If schools are to become safe learning environments for our students of color, then our schools need to engage in deeper and more meaningful contact with families. Schools need to communicate positive messages to families in multiple ways, using various platforms. Advertisement Among our 40 schools, CIS estimates 4,000 students where English is the second language and 12% of our case-managed students are English language learners. Every effort must be made to listen to the needs of families of color and respond to those needs with care, dignity and respect. When schools welcome families as allies and respect their vital role in education, they readily contribute toward creating a safe and caring school climate. Greater family engagement translates into better outcomes for students and safer environments. Teachers who understand where their students come from: Teachers have the potential to change a students life. They also have the potential to turn a student off. It is essential teachers understand the unique needs of students and are trained in cultural competency and trauma-informed practice. CIS data shows 40% of case managed students experienced trauma and 60% self-identified as needing mental health supports. With training and understanding, teachers can create classrooms where students will thrive. Investment in restorative practices and relationship-centered solutions: Advertisement We support efforts to shift resources away from school policing and increase resources aimed at mental health, social emotional health, civic engagement and restorative justice. Together, these initiatives improve students conditions for learning, allowing them to thrive. In too many public schools, significant funding is directed toward policing, resulting in the overuse of law enforcement. Punitive policies focused on deterrence need to be replaced by those focused on restoration. Schools must analyze data related to disciplinary instances and address how discipline affects students of color. Using a restorative approach, 80% of CIS case managed students with behavioral concerns improved. Restorative practices is one type of relationship-centered practice that empowers students to learn from their behavior choices, while surrounding them by caring adults and a community of support. At CIS, we believe programs dont change children; relationships do. Schools that proactively build a relationship-centered community experience will identify and remove barriers that historically disenfranchise students of color. These include harsh and frequent disciplinary actions, lack of access to supplementary, afterschool, enrichment programming, labelling or pushing students in special education who dont belong, and a lack of access to advanced, honors or AP classes. While we appeal to the moral conscience of our society to do the right thing, we also recognize that there is economic reason to act. Every student who does not complete high school ready for college and career will cost society $292,000 per dropout over the course of a lifetime. Advertisement We call on legislative and school leaders to prioritize safe schools, positive school climates and invest in relationship-centered practices so every student has a safe place to learn and grow. Tim Mulligan is president and CEO of Communities in Schools of Eastern Pennsylvania, based in Allentown. Its mission is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Burley, ID (83318) Today Windy with rain showers. High near 65F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Light rain mixing with and changing to snow showers overnight. Low near 35F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Higher wind gusts possible. Local govts build 'new infrastructure' while FCC moves hurt US consumers Local governments in China are doubling down on plans to accelerate 5G rollout this year. This is in sharp contrast to the situation in the United States where the federal government is likely to face a shortfall in funding for its plan to replace Chinese equipment in telecom networks, posing connectivity challenges to people in rural areas in the US, experts said. More than 20 provincial and municipal governments in China have emphasized efforts to accelerate construction of "new infrastructure" like 5G and data centers in their work plans for this year. Shanghai, for instance, said it plans to build more than 25,000 5G base stations this year to push forward the in-depth coverage of the superfast wireless network. The city also has ambitions to build super large computing power platforms to meet growing demand. Zhao Zhiguo, spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China's top industry regulator, said earlier:"2022 is a critical year for the large-scale development of 5G applications. We will continue to improve 5G network coverage and accelerate the in-depth integration of 5G and vertical industries." One of the priorities is to moderately speed up the coverage of 5G in counties and rural towns, Zhao said. Ten ministries, including the Cyberspace Administration of China, recently unveiled a digital rural development action plan for the period from 2022 to 2025, which called for an intensified push to promote digital infrastructure upgrades in rural areas. Telecom operators are also moving fast. China Mobile, the nation's largest telecom carrier, for instance, said it aims to achieve continuous 5G coverage in rural towns across the country by the end of this year. Telecom carriers' 5G plans seek to harness the power of more than 1.4 million 5G base stations that stood in China by the end of last year. 5G signals are already available in urban areas of all prefecture-level cities, more than 98 percent of county-level towns and 80 percent of rural towns, MIIT data showed. But, in the US, the scene is a contrast. The US Federal Communications Commission found a shortfall in funding for its plan to replace Chinese telecom equipment. Inadequate finance is likely to pose connectivity challenges to people in remote areas in the US, experts said. According to a report on MobileWorld Live, a telecom industry website, the FCC said local telecom operators' requests for funding to replace network equipment made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE totaled $5.6 billion, almost three times the $1.9 billion allocated by the US federal government. The FCC banned US telecom carriers from buying Huawei and ZTE's equipment via federal subsidies, citing what it alleged were national security concerns. The two Chinese companies have repeatedly denied the accusations, which they said are groundless. Xiang Ligang, director-general of the Information Consumption Alliance, a telecom industry association in China, said Huawei and ZTE's products are currently used by US telecom carriers to offer network and broadband services in some of the most remote regions in the US. The US government is wasting big money on replacing Chinese telecom equipment, and consumers in rural areas in the US will suffer from the lack of quality telecom services, Xiang said. Steve Berry, president and CEO of the Competitive Carriers Association, a trade group for about 100 wireless providers in the US, issued a statement calling on the US government to ensure the FCC program is fully funded so that connectivity is maintained during the operators' transition to new equipment for their networks. TAIPEI, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan will allow imports of Japanese food from areas affected by the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster by the end of February, said the island's executive authority at a press briefing on Tuesday, ending an import ban that has been in place for 11 years. Taiwan will lift the ban on food imports from five prefectures in Japan - Fukushima, where the disaster occurred, and neighboring Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki, and Tochigi, but some restrictions will remain, the authority said. Mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and a Japanese vegetable known as "koshiabura" from the five prefectures and other items from those areas that cannot be sold in other parts of Japan will still not be allowed into Taiwan. For all other food imports from the five prefectures, Taiwan will mandate batch-by-batch border inspections and require certificates of origin and radiation inspection certificates, added the authority. The import ban was imposed in Taiwan in late March 2011 for food safety reasons in the wake of a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami that triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The move to ease the banning of Japanese food imports in Taiwan has triggered growing anger among the public and opposition parties. SYDNEY, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Australia's largest retail bank, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), announced on Wednesday that it would be signing onto the global Net-Zero Banking Alliance, which pledges a commitment to aiding the transition to zero emissions. The commitment means the bank would publish interim targets for power generation, thermal coal and upstream oil and upstream gas, and provide transparency on their transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. "Successfully transitioning to net-zero emissions will require a transformation of the global economy. It requires coordinated effort across sectors; and is contingent on policy, regulation, and technological developments," said CBA Chief Executive Officer Matt Comyn. It would also entail a realignment of the banks' balance sheets as they move away from lending to fossil fuel enterprises and towards green energy solutions. Dr. John-Paul Monck, CEO of SME Bank and adjunct professor at the University of New South Wales Business school, told Xinhua this move by CBA, which makes up such a large part of Australia's banking industry, would in and of itself begin to reshape the entire sector. "There are certain pockets of industries that banks just won't touch now, because they don't want to be associated with that." He said that for larger banks with trillions of dollars on their balance sheets, this would likely be a gradual process of decoupling. "If the banking sector completely walked away from say, coal or whatever industry ... their rates (from non-bank lenders) they would pay could be double, triple," he said, indicating that banks will play a significant role in disincentivizing high-emission industries. However, climate change solutions rooted in technological development and growth have drawn widespread criticism in the climate change advocacy world. Monck said while the transition to sustainable industries could constrain business, ultimately long-term growth will be made possible through sustainable businesses. "There's always this tug of war between safety and profitability and therefore growth." "And if we're talking about 2050, we've got less than 28 years to run. What are we doing right now, the most effective time to start is today, because of the compounding effect of what you do." SIX more tropical cyclones are expected to hit Zimbabwe before the end of the rainy season and there is need for robust mechanisms for monitoring natural phenomenon, a Government Minister has said. The Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo said this during a Cyclone Idai recovery project donation ceremony in Harare yesterday. The project is being funded by the African Development Bank and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the donated is equipment worth US$226 000. This equipment is for use by the Meteorological Services Department to improve monitoring weather developments in Chipinge and Chimanimani in which the latter district was the epicentre of the Cyclone Idai induced disaster in March 2019. Zimbabwe, during this rainy season, had two cyclones, ANA which left a trail of destruction and Batsirai which fortunately dissipated. Minister Moyo said predictions by the Meteorological Services Department have been accurate so far. According to Meteorological Services Department (MSD) there is a projection of six more cyclones during the remainder of the current rainy season. Thus, a robust mechanism for monitoring natural phenomena cannot be over emphasised; And their predictions have been very accurate, said Minister Moyo. He said so far during the rainy season over 1 500 households have been destroyed by the cyclonic weather. At every rainfall season, the country experiences damages to social, economic and physical infrastructure and in the past two weeks, Tropical Storm Ana compounded the situation and cumulative data for the 2021/2022 rainfall season indicate that about 1 557 households had their houses partially damaged while some were completely destroyed; more than 50 schools were damaged as well as road, water, sanitation, health and social infrastructure. By the grace of God, for now, Tropical Storm Batsirai has dissipated, said Minister Moyo. He said early warnings by the MSD were important to save lives. Occurrence of weather-related shocks need not lead to loss of human lives as affected populations can take early action, following issuance of early warning information backed by scientific approaches through use of the equipment being handed over to the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry. The Meteorological Services Department is the key early warning institution which requires substantial capacity building to be effective and efficient in providing real time data to protect populations that are vulnerable and exposed to risks associated with the weather, said Minister Moyo. Speaking to Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN), Deputy Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Barbara Rwodzi said Government was ready for the projected cyclones. We are more than ready for those cyclones. Its our department together with other partners from outside the country who have identified the cyclones. Hence, we are quite ready and what we have received here to add more to what we have in terms of equipment and instruments and I think we are ready. We work together with other departments such as Civil Protection Unit, the police and the community itself and we are making them aware of the cyclones that are coming, said Deputy Minister Rwodzi. When the MSD issued an advisory on impending Tropical Cyclone Ana, a meeting of the Emergency Services Sub Committee, of the National Civil Protection Committee, was convened to fully operationalise the National Contingency Plan. The plan includes Sub-national Civil Protection structures headed by Ministers for Provincial Affairs and Devolution which were activated and prepositioning of Jet AI fuel by the Air Force of Zimbabwe. Each province was allocated 50 tonnes of maize grain which were to be managed by Provincial Secretaries; $34 million was disbursed to all Provinces for cash preparedness; and ZIMPLATS and Econet sponsored SMS alerts on risk information to raise awareness on mobile phones for the public. Last month, the MSD identified 13 districts in the northern parts of Zimbabwe that were expected to be affected by a depressed tropical cyclone Ana. The downgraded Tropical Storm Ana affected Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. Malawis government suspended classes in all schools in the southern districts of the country in the wake of the tropical cyclone. In Mozambique, the National Delegation of Hydraulic Resources Management (DNGRH) issued a flood risk alert for increased rainfall starting January 25 and a flood risk for the Zambeze, Buzi, Pungoe, Licungo, Ligonha, Meluli, Montepuez, Messalo, and Megaruma river basins as well as the coastal areas of Zambezia, Nampula, and Cabo Delgado Provinces. Locally, districts such as Chipinge, Chimanimani, Mutare, Mutasa, Nyanga, Mudzi, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe, Rushinga, Mt Darwin, Centenary, Mbire, Northern Hurungwe and Kariba Districts were expected to be affected by tropical cyclone Ana. The Department of Civil Protection, has in the past issued warnings and advised the public to stay away from swollen rivers and not to drive through floodwaters as just 30cm of flowing water is enough to sweep away a vehicle. The public has been urged to ensure rooftops are secure by checking nails that may be loose and also secure all loose items that are outside, where possible place them in a safe storage space. Names of tropical storms . . . NAMES Provided by Ana Mozambique Batsirai Zimbabwe Cliff Madagascar Chronicle Not so fast, governors! Centers for Disease Control Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday that the public health agency does not support lifting COVID-fighting restrictions and mask rules even as the nations governors race to lift the mandates in their states. Advertisement Walensky pointedly avoided criticizing the push by governors to relax rules, but she noted that COVID caseloads, hospitalizations and deaths remain at punishingly high levels. Our hospitalizations are still high, Our death rates are still high, Walensky said. As we are encouraged by the current trends, we are not there yet. Advertisement Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (SHAWN THEW (pool)/AP) The top public health officials at the White House Coronavirus Taskforce briefing explained why the CDC position is now different from so many governors, including staunch allies of President Biden. Weve always said that these decisions would have to be made at a local level, said Walensky, praising some governors for phasing out mask rules instead of eliminating them. Im encouraged that cases are dropping dramatically and hospitalizations are dropping dramatically. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > The CDC director avoided questions as to which metrics might be used to gauge when the CDC could recommend easing the rules for masking in indoor public places or schools. The debate comes as cases continue to rapidly decline as the nation moves out of the surge caused by the supercontagious omicron variant of COVID. In many states, cases are down nearly 90% from their recent omicron-driven highs and hospitalizations are also dropping. The seven-day average death rate from COVID, which lags behind other trends, remains roughly steady at a shocking 2,500. Public health officials are reluctant to recommend easing the restrictions because they have seen how quickly the trends can reverse, especially if a new variant appears. The U.S. is especially vulnerable to such shifts because it has many people who refuse to get vaccinated, leaving them and their communities exposed to new surges. Dr. Anthony Fauci unveiled new CDC studies showing how effective COVID vaccines, particularly booster shots, protect people from severe disease and death. Advertisement We can only come to one conclusion: that COVID-19 vaccines, booster shots can keep you out of the hospital and certainly can save your life. Gov. Hochul plans to allow New Yorks indoor mask mandate to expire on Thursday, two people with knowledge of her decision told the Daily News. Hochul is expected to announce the news on Wednesday. Advertisement The mandate, which applies to businesses that do not have vaccination requirements, has been in effect for almost two months and kicked up controversy in conservative-leaning regions where authorities refused to enforce it. Governor Kathy Hochul (Mike Groll/Mike Groll/Office of Governor Ka) The governor instituted the mask measure in response to the monsoon of omicron coronavirus cases that flooded the state as fall faded to winter. Advertisement Hochul twice extended the mandate, despite Republican ire and a court battle over whether she had the authority to impose the measure. A Nassau County judge ruled on Jan. 24 she did not, but a state appeals court granted a stay the next day. On Tuesday, the state reported its lowest weeklong COVID case rate since Nov. 30, and a tally of patients in intensive care that had fallen to its lowest level since Dec. 20. But the states death toll still grew by 71. Amtrak needs to get its act together make sure the $30 billion Gateway Program stays on track, the railroads inspector general warned in a report published Tuesday. Amtrak has no comprehensive plan to coordinate the programs variety of projects, which include construction of two new Hudson River train tunnels and theres no master schedule to everything done by the railroads purported goal of 2035, the report said. Advertisement Amtraks Portal Bridge, built in 1910, carries trains over the Hackensack River on their way into Manhattan. NJTransit, the primary user of the span, wants a replacement bridge and wants more than $800 million from Washington to help build it. (Gateway Program Development Corp) That could spell trouble for Amtrak, as well as for the hundreds of thousands of commuters who rely on the infrastructure the railroad seeks to improve. If the old tunnels fail before the new ones are operational, it would cost the New York regions economy $22 billion, said a 2019 report from the Regional Plan Association. Advertisement Amtraks inspector general warns in the report that the railroad is running behind on establishing a process to coordinate the different agencies working on the project, which puts the Gateway program at risk of running far behind schedule. Gateway planners hope the project is complete by 2035. Gateway involves multiple transportation organizations which may have competing priorities that depend on multiple funding sources for numerous projects and have evolving delivery timelines, the report states. These practical and political complexities increase the risk to the companys budget and time frames to meet its commitments to the program. The complex project requires coordination between Amtrak, NJ Transit, the Port Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Gateway Development Commission, a bistate agency established to apply for federal money for the project. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Amtrak currently does not have enough people in place to oversee the work, the inspector general found. The report highlights that Gateways lead engineer resigned in April 2021, which required the work left behind to be split among five other engineers. The railroads push to hire new construction managers is also hindered by a shortage of human resource employees, the inspector general pointed out in a separate report last year. One of the rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River that connect New Jersey to Penn Station (Victor J. Blue/AP) The inspector general report acknowledges Amtrak has made some progress in catching up on a comprehensive plan for Gateway but theres still no guarantee the work will be done on time. Officials at the Port Authority a partner in the project and construction advocates have called the new Hudson River tunnels the most pressing infrastructure priority in the nation. Advocates say the project is needed in order shut down the existing 111-year-old tubes and repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Advertisement The Gateway Program also includes the replacement of the Portal North Bridge above the Hackensack River in New Jersey, the expansion of Penn Station in Midtown and new passenger rail tracks in New Jersey. With the support of the Biden administration, Congress and our state partners, Amtrak is poised to enter a new era of capital investment, said Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams. As the Gateway Program accelerates out of the planning phase and into construction and delivery, Amtrak is also evolving and dedicating the resources necessary to meet our commitments to the Program, our partners and the nation, Abrams said. Emergency first responders remain at the scene after an intense fire at a 19-story residential building that erupted in the morning on Jan. 9, 2022, in the Bronx borough of New York City. Reports indicate over 50 people were injured. (Scott Heins/Getty Images) A Bronx apartment complex where 17 people were killed in a horrific fire last month was rife with safety violations that contributed to their deaths, according to new lawsuits seeking damages from the building owners. Eight children were among the victims who perished Jan. 9 when an electric space heater set off the blaze in a tower along E. 181st St. near Tiebout Ave., filling hallways and stairwells with thick, suffocating smoke. Advertisement But some, if not all of the deaths, could likely have been prevented if the high-rises owners had addressed known safety issues, including malfunctioning doors that should have closed automatically and windows that did not open, the suits argue. Attorney Ben Crump, left, looks on as Fatima Janneh, who lost a sister in a building fire, speaks at a Tuesday news conference in the Bronx. (Seth Wenig/AP) What happened on Jan. 9 was very devastating and tragic, and very unexpected, and could have been avoided, Fatima Janneh, whose sister Sera, 27, was among those killed, said at a news conference Tuesday outside the building. I lost my sister in the fire. She was trying to come down to save my family. Advertisement Jannehs name is attached to one of five lawsuits filed in Bronx Supreme Court against a consortium of property developers that owns the 19-story building. The 17 known victims of the deadly Bronx fire. Top row, from left to right: Seydou Toure, Haouwa Mohamadou, Isatou Jabbie, Hagi Jawara, Aisha Drammeh, Muhammed Drammeh; Middle row, from left to right: Omar Jambang, Ousman Konteh, Sera Janneh, Fatoumata Tunkara, Fatoumala Drammeh, Fatoumata Drammeh; Bottom row, from left to right: Haji Dukuray, Haja Dukurehcq, Fatoumata Dukuray, Miriam Dukuray, Mustapha Dukuray. The lawsuits allege that negligence by the property owners contributed to the deaths and injuries sustained in the fire. We need justice for the families that lost people, as well as the other tenants in the building. Were all victims to what happened here, Janneh said. Sera Janneh, 27, was one of the 17 killed in the January fire at E. 181st St. fire in the Bronx. (Kerry Burke ) The plaintiffs include the mother of a 2-year-old boy who died and parents whose 12-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter were killed. Also suing is a 20-year-old mother whose 3-month-old son was hospitalized. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > The building is owned by a consortium of real estate companies called Bronx Park Phase III Preservation, whose executives have said they are cooperating in the investigation. Attorney Ben Crump, left, looks on as Fatiah Touray, who has family that was killed in a building fire, speaks to reporters at a news conference in the Bronx on Tuesday. (Seth Wenig/AP) Among the executives is Camber Property Group principal Rick Gropper, who was a member of Mayor Adams transition team committee on housing. James Yolles, a spokesman for the building owners, said in a statement that the landlord is helping residents with social service and relocation assistance. He said residents have signed 21 leases at a nearby development, with five more expected to be signed by the end of the week. The complaints filed today allege that last months tragic fire was caused by the negligence of the buildings owners and their agents, Yolles said in a statement. We believe the facts will show that allegation to be false. Advertisement Surrounded by victims of a building fire and their families, attorney Ben Crump, second from left, speaks to reporters at a news conference in the Bronx Tuesday. (Seth Wenig/AP) The lawsuits do not specify monetary damages. Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the safety violations caused unspeakable loss of life. There is no greater tragedy than parents having to grieve for their children, Crump said in a statement. This building was home to a very close-knit community in pursuit of the American Dream when their world was devastated by this preventable tragedy. We are determined to get them the justice they deserve. Tenant complaints of hot water outages in the citys public housing jumped nearly 15% last year, data obtained by the Daily News shows. Complaints about a lack of hot water rose from 1,480 complaints in 2019-2020 to 1,695 during the 2020-2021 heat season. Thats 215 more complaints than the previous year, according to the data shared with The News by the Legal Aid Society. Advertisement Under New York City law, landlords are required to provide heat and hot water during the heat season from Oct. 1 to May 31. Front page for Feb.. 6, 2022: If building were private, owners would be "in jail." Tenant leaders (from left) Alisha Robinson, Vernell Robinson, LaWanda Gainey-Johnson and Uronda Jones say there has been no hot water at the NYCHA Carleton Manor apartments in Queens since November. (New York Daily News) Im not surprised its increased, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams told The News, as he and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson toured the Fort Independence Houses in the Bronx where tenants say theyve lacked hot water and heat this winter. Advertisement We also know people have just stopped calling because theyre tired of calling and not getting anywhere, tickets getting closed, and were pretty sure that number is even higher. The new data comes as politicians like Williams continued to blast NYCHA over water temperature issues Tuesday. Williams met with tenants at the complex in Kingsbridge just two days after front page report in The News detailed a months-long hot water outage Carleton Manor, a NYCHA development in Rockaway, Queens. Jumaane Williams speaks outside the Fort Independence houses about a hot water outage affecting tenants. (Ellen Moynihan/New York Daily News) Fort Independence tenants said their problems mirrored those at Carleton Manor. An entire 344-unit building in the Bronx complex had heat going in and out all weekend, tenants said. Hot waters the worst. If you shower between 6:00 and 9:00 a.m., you cant. Its ice cold, said Matt Moran, a 37-year-old tenant at the Fort Independence Houses. That big snowstorm not this past weekend the weekend before there was absolutely no heat and no hot water. We were boiling pots and turning on the oven to keep warm. Another tenant and mother of three, Tiara Napier, said she also uses her oven on to stay warm when theres no heat. I use the space heaters and then if its really cold and I unfortunately have to turn on our oven, which is not a safe thing, so you have to watch doing that as well, said Napier, who added that her 14-year-old son has caught pneumonia numerous times due to the cold. Tiara Napier is pictured with her 7-week-old son, Azani, on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Ellen Moynihan/New York Daily News) While complaints about hot water increased last year, complaints about a lack of heat were down last year, according to the data. Advertisement There were 584 reports of heat outages in the 2020-2021 heat season compared to 819 the year before. While NYCHA has made some improvements to mitigate utility outages, residents still suffer lapses in service on a daily basis, said Lucy Newman, a Legal Aid attorney. The Carleton Manor NYCHA houses on Beach Channel Drive in Far Rockaway, Queens, on Monday, Feb. 7, where tenants have been without hot water for months. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > A day before Williams tour of Fort Independence Houses, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards visited Carleton Manor to demand that NYCHA not charge tenants rent for all months they did not have hot water. Mayor Adams was also outraged, calling the lack of hot water since November for residents of the Far Rockaway complex despicable. NYCHA said that it was improving. NYCHA has demonstrated significant progress since 2019 in addressing service outages at its developments through improvements to heating and hot water operations and response, including increased staffing, roving teams, mobile boilers, planned preventative maintenance and a 24-hour heat desk, a NYCHA spokeswoman said. Deteriorating infrastructure as a result of ongoing disinvestment is still a critical issue, but NYCHA has taken and will continue to take any available actions to address service outages. A married Bronx couple sex-trafficked eight young women including two who were in the wifes care as a foster parent, prosecutors said Wednesday. Sharice Mitchell, 51, and Kareem Mitchell, 38, were hit with conspiracy and sex-trafficking charges in Manhattan Criminal Court for running a prostitution ring starting in 2018, prosecutors said. Advertisement Sex traffickers target the most vulnerable New Yorkers, including far too often young New Yorkers in the child welfare system, said Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. Instead of providing a safe home, this husband and wife forced eight young women to engage in prostitution. Sharice Mitchell (Daniel McKnight/Pool Photo) Sharice and Kareem both allegedly recruited victims into the operation though in vastly different ways. Advertisement Sharice, a certified New York State foster parent, found recruits among vulnerable young New Yorkers looking for homes through the foster system, according to the indictment. The two young women that Sharice Mitchell took in through the foster system and allegedly trafficked were referred to only as Individual 1 and Individual 2. Neither was underage at the time they were trafficked for sex, prosecutors said. Young people can remain in the foster system up to the age of 21 years old. Sharice Mitchell received them into her care in January 2019 and January 2020. Both quickly started working as prostitutes for her husband, according to the indictment. Prostitution advertisements were posted less than one month after her placement with the defendant, said Assistant District Attorney Lauren Breen about one of the young foster women. The citys Administration for Childrens Services, which oversees the foster system, said it was cooperating with the investigation. We take the safety of the children and youth entrusted to our care in New York Citys foster care system extremely seriously. The vast majority of foster parents provide loving, safe environments. We do not tolerate anyone who exploits or puts children in danger, the agency said in a statement. Kareem Mitchell who was already a registered sex offender as a result of a 2008 conviction for transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution contacted other victims over Instagram and Facebook, according to prosecutors. Advertisement Prosecutors said Kareem was a verbally and physically abusive pimp who forced victims into sex work in cars, Midtown hotels and other locations in every borough except Staten Island. He was threatening the women up until the morning of his arrest, prosecutors said. Im going to pop you in the face, you dumb b---h. Get in the car, he allegedly said to one woman Wednesday morning. The victims working for Mitchell called him Daddy, and called each other Wifey, prosecutors said. Kareem Mitchell (Daniel McKnight/Pool Photo) The nine-month investigation by the Manhattan DAs office relied on intercepted communications, physical surveillance and records from Instagram, CashApp and Zelle, prosecutors said. Kareem was arrested after leaving a known prostitution area, authorities said. Advertisement He appeared in court in handcuffs, wearing a bedazzled denim jacket with the word cult written on the back. He also wore a t-shirt that said Make money not friends, with a photo of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar over a $100 bill. Sharice was busted at her home in the Bronx. She wore a black do-rag and gray hoodie. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Both pleaded not guilty. Judge Felicia Mennin ordered Kareem Mitchell who faces up to 100 years in prison held without bail. His wife who faces up to 75 years in prison had bail set at $500,000. I heard nothing that said she threatened anyone, said Robert Levy, who represented Sharice Mitchell. The fact is that she had two foster kids. Thats it. That was the allegation. One woman, who gave her name as Geraldine, attended the arraignment in support of the couple, though she did not make her relationship with the duo clear. Advertisement I love you, Geraldine shouted as the Mitchells were led out of court. She said she didnt believe the Mitchells committed any crimes. They just make everything sound so much worse, Geraldine said of the prosecutors. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe BEIJING, Feb. 9 -- Recently, a regulation was jointly issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the State Council, and the Central Military Commission (CMC) to improve the commendation of military honors, which is to be fully implemented by all regions and departments as required. As a basic guideline for the commendation of military honors in a new era, the regulation reshaped the military honor recognition system in a comprehensive manner as shown by medals, honorary titles, awards, commendations, commemorative medals, etc., based on distinguished circumstances, domains and personnel categories. The regulation innovatively established a variety of commendation measures for the commanding officers' merits, outlined a system of different medals and commemorative medals, and uniformly standardized the treatment for the honor recipients. It also clarified relevant matters concerning the Chinese military's commendations to foreign personnel and the Chinese military personnel's acceptance of foreign commendations for meritorious services, and detailed relevant policies and regulations. The promulgation and implementation of the regulation is of great significance to improving the honor recognition system of the Party and the country, and enhancing the attractiveness of military careers and the sense of mission and honor of the military personnel in China. A man who accidentally shot and killed his best friend as a teen was fatally shot in the Bronx just months after his release from prison and now his suspected killer is under arrest, police said Tuesday. Brian Reese, 36, was shot in the neck on Nov. 27 outside a building on Thwaites Place near Bronx Park East in Allerton in what police describe as a gang-related killing. Advertisement Cops, who released Reeses name on Tuesday, said theyve arrested his alleged killer, Anthony Thorne, 30, and charged him with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon. Reeses mother, Tracy Newkirk, told the Daily News her son was trying to build a life for himself with his fiancee and young son, but that his second chance was cut short by a planned-out attack. Advertisement I was going out for a girls retreat, and I found out the next morning my son was killed, shot six times, ran over and killed, she recounted. Reese, a reputed Bloods member, was released to parole in September after he was sentenced to 12 to 14 years behind bars for manslaughter in 2007. The 36-year-old victim was shot outside 600 Thwait(Theodore Parisienne) (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) He was my only son. He was a really good person. He had some really bad stuff when he was young, Newkirk said. He went to prison for a long stint when he was young, after his best friend got killed. When he got out, it was a parole violation, it was really minor. He was released for three months, and that was it, he was shot and killed. He was brutally shot and killed. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Reese was 18 when he accidentally shot his friend, Jonathan Rhodes, 17, in Far Rockaway on Nov. 16, 2003. Several people were arguing outside his home on Beach 67th St. and Reese fired his handgun, hitting Rhodes in the left temple, Rockaway newspaper The Wave reported at the time. Johnny was one of his best friends, and they were young and playing with firearms. They all lived in the same house, Newkirk said. Though the grieving mom wasnt proud of what her son had done, she said she was proud of how he handled himself in the aftermath. After his release, she wanted him to move with her to Florida, but he wanted to put down roots in Manhattan. He had a girlfriend ... a fiancee, she said. He had a 3-year-old son, he was really trying to get his life together. He was trying to get a job. Advertisement Newkirk said she didnt want to talk about the specifics of why her son was targeted for death, saying police have told her more suspects remain at large. Its mean, and its disgusting. It was planned, and it was ugly, she said of Reeses killing. It was unnecessary, unfair and heartless. A parolee shot dead in the Bronx had been trying to seize control of a local gang since his recent release from prison, police sources said Wednesday. The revelation is in sharp contrast to the belief of Brian Reeses mother, who told the Daily News Tuesday he had been trying to piece his life back together after serving 14 years in state prison for accidentally killing his best friend in Far Rockaway in 2003. Advertisement Reese, 36, was shot in the neck on Nov. 27 on Thwaites Place near Bronx Park East in Allerton and run over by an SUV. He died at the scene. Sources said Reese had been trying to take over a Bloods gang set, the East Side Homicide Brims, since he was released on parole in September. Advertisement When reached Wednesday, Reeses mother said she wasnt aware of her sons alleged plans to gain control of the local street gang. I know nothing of that, Tracy Newkirk said. Theres like 10,000 different stories out there. If hes doing it, hes doing it. One thing cant be true if the other thing was true. Police on Tuesday said they have arrested Anthony Thorne, 30, for murder, manslaughter and weapons possession. Thorne, whose prior arrests are sealed, was busted at his job at Fresh Direct. Brian Reese, 36, was found shot in the neck outside a building on Thwaites Place near Bronx Park East in Allerton about 2:20 a.m. on Nov. 27. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) On Wednesday, police said they arrested a second suspect, Alyssa Crichlow, 31, on the same charges. Crichlow, arrested at her home, has an assault arrest from 2018 and other arrests that are sealed, sources said. The killing was planned over months, and involved at least four more suspects, assistant district attorney Karl Miller said at the duos arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court Wednesday. Someone drove Reese to the spot where he died while Crichlow drove the shooter to the scene in her distinctive 1998 blue Ford Mustang, Miller said. Three more people were waiting for Reese in a nearby SUV, the prosecutors said. After the killer shot Reese and ran him over he headed back to Crichlows apartment to change clothes, Miller said. She later met up with others involved in the slaying, prosecutors said. Advertisement She gave a spontaneous utterance of What about the others? when she was arrested, Miller said Crichlows lawyer, Ryan Sullivan, said his client doesnt know the victim and had no knowledge he was going to be killed. Driving a car and dropping somebody off is not indicative of criminality, Sullivan said. Thorne was ordered held without bail. Judge Jeffrey Zimmerman set Crichlows bail at $200,000 bond. Brian Reese, 36, was found shot in the neck outside a building on Thwaites Place near Bronx Park East in Allerton about 2:20 a.m. on Nov. 27. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) Reese was 18 when he accidentally shot Jonathan Rhodes, 17, in November 2003. Several people were arguing when Reese fired his gun, hitting Rhodes in the head, The Wave newspaper reported at the time. Reese was sentenced to 12 to 14 years behind bars for manslaughter in 2007. Advertisement He was first released on parole in May 2016 but was sent back to prison in July 2021 for the second time for a parole violation when he allegedly slashed another ex-con in the face, law enforcement sources said. He was hit with a slew of charges including assault, resisting arrest and marijuana possession. He was released on parole again in September, records show, but violated parole by not staying at his approved residence and missing meetings with his parole officer. State correction officials were seeking an absconder warrant against him when they learned he was murdered, sources said. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Reeses mother on Tuesday told the News her son was trying to build a life for himself with his fiancee and young son. He was my only son, she said. He had some really bad stuff when he was young. ... He was released for three months and that was it he was shot and killed. It was unnecessary, unfair and heartless. On Wednesday Newkirk emphasized her son is the victim in this case. Advertisement Its silly. If youre a victim, youre just a victim. No matter what youve done in your life, she said. Weve all done things that were not proud of. A victim is a victim regardless. I love my son, and Im not trying to sugarcoat it, she added. He was my best friend, and thats what people dont realize. With John Annese The father of a Bronx cop killed by friendly fire has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and five police officers, accusing them of recklessly opening fire as his son grappled with an armed ex-con, the Daily News has learned. Brian Mulkeen alleges in his Bronx Supreme Court suit that the fatal gunshot wounds suffered by his 33-year-old son, Officer Brian Mulkeen, in September 2019 were caused solely by the negligence,carelessness and recklessness of the defendants. Advertisement The five officers actions were of such a wanton, willful, and reckless nature as to evince a callous disregard for human life and the safety and welfare of others, the lawsuit reads. The legal papers, filed on the second anniversary of the killing claims the city and the NYPD failed to properly train its officers. Advertisement Mulkeen was with two other cops when they approached Antonio Williams and another man outside the Edenwald Houses in Edenwald on Sept. 29, 2019. The three officers were looking for information to help solve a spate of shootings in the area, police said. But Williams took off, the cops gave chase and Mulkeen wrestled him to the ground. Hes reaching for it! Mulkeen could be heard on another officers body-worn camera. Hes reaching for it! Mulkeen pulled his own gun and fired at Williams five times. The other cops Officer Robert Wichers, who ran after Williams and Officer Brian Mahon, who radioed for backup each let one round go, the suit said. The front page of the New York Daily News on Oct. 5, 2019. (New York Daily News) The backup team fired eight times five shots were from Sgt. Jason Valentino, two from Officer Keith Figueroa and one by Detective Daniel Beddows, the lawsuit detailed. Mulkeen was struck at least twice, in the head and upper body and was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center, where he died. Williams, 27, also died in the fusillade of police bullets. The father of two had a loaded .32 caliber pistol on him, but did not fire it, police said. His family filed a wrongful death suit against the city and the NYPD in November 2020. That litigation is still pending. Advertisement Antonio Williams Then-Police Commissioner James ONeill appeared to lay the blame at Williams feet after the shooting. Make no mistake, ONeill said then. We lost the life of a courageous public servant solely due to a violent criminal who put the lives of the police and all the people we serve in jeopardy. The NYPDs Force Investigation Division later ruled and ONeills successor, Commissioner Dermot Shea agreed that the cops who fired and killed Mulkeen and Williams did not violate department guidelines regarding the use of deadly physical force. The officers are still with the department, except for Beddows, who is now retired. Brian Mulkeen, the father of fallen NYPD officer Brian Mulkeen holding a folded flag at his son's funeral at Sacred Heart Church in Monroe, New York on Oct. 4, 2019. (Go Nakamura/for New York Daily News) In April 2021, Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark declined to press charges against the cops but said the shooting presents serious concerns about the NYPDs use of force, defensive tactics and tactical trainings in their interactions with the public and incidents of friendly fire. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > The late Mulkeen and the officers named in the suit were assigned to plainclothes anti-crime unit later disbanded by Shea. Mayor Adams has said he plans to return a revamped anti-crime to the streets. NYPD body-worn camera footage of the captures the frantic chase that ended with the death of Police Officer Brian Mulkeen and Antonio WIlliams in hail of police bullets. (NYPD) Mulkeens death was seven months after the Feb. 12, 2019, fatal friendly-fire shooting of Detective Brian Simonsen while he responded to a cell phone store robbery in Queens. Advertisement Neither Mulkeens father nor the familys lawyer responded to a request for comment. A spokesman for the citys Law Department said the suit is being reviewed and noted Mulkeen was a brave cop who died trying to keep us safe. New York Citys gun violence epidemic claimed the life of a hardworking Brooklyn man shot dead outside his Cypress Hills residence early Wednesday morning after arriving home from a late-night shift. Neighbors and friends said Modassar Khandaker, 36, a Bangladeshi immigrant, did little but work and spend time with his family. Advertisement That guy is a very good guy, very nice guy, said neighbor Mohammad Alam, 50. He never talked to anybody. Hes very quiet, just work and home. We feel so sad because we dont want to see this. Friends and residents along the block said Khandaker, a husband and father of a 4-year-old boy, was fatally shot as he got home from his job at Kennedy Airport, where he helped airline passengers with wheelchairs. Advertisement Around 12:45 a.m., the sound of a single gunshot echoed through the area on Forbell St. near Glenmore Ave. as Khandaker stepped out of his 2019 Honda CRV. Brooklyn murder victim Modassar Khandaker. (Provided by Khairul Islam Kukon) Cops were already responding to an alert in the area from ShotSpotter, a gunfire locator service, when they received a 911 call directing them to Khandakers street. Islam Nezrul, a neighbor, said he was watching TV with his family when he heard the one shot. When he stepped outside to see what was going on, the ambulance had already arrived. Medics rushed Khandaker to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Nezrul said footage from his security camera showed a person running in front of his house, and that two masked men ran to a getaway car parked nearby and drove off. Everything was so quick, he said. Its hard to see because they have a mask on. I couldnt see anything, no face, he said. A pool of blood could still be seen outside Khandakers home later on Wednesday morning. Police towed away the car he had stepped out of before he was shot. Advertisement Alam said he knew Khandaker for a long time. We came from the same country, and he was my neighbor, he said. A pool of blood could still be seen outside the home he never reached. Police towed away the 2019 Honda CRV he had stepped out of before he was shot. (Nicholas Williams/for New York Daily News) Khandaker was a very cool guy, said friend and co-worker, Rubel Chakrabortoy 31, who said he knew the victim for five years. He was not like a colleague. He was like a big brother, caring, Chakrabortoy said. Every day, he called me to check up on me. Now Im feeling I didnt lose my colleague, I lost my big brother. Chakrabortoy said all his friend talked about was his family. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > He always loved his son. He would go out with his family, Chakrabortoy said. He loved his son. His son was his whole world. Scene of shooting on Forbbell St. where Modassar Khandaker was fatally shot in front of his home early Wednesday. (Nicholas Williams/New York Daily News) Its going to be hard to take this in, said Zakir Uddin, 52, a neighbor of the Khandaker family. Its not easy, especially obviously with any human being, but when you see it or hear it right next to you its unbelievable. Advertisement Nur Sadlee, 31, a longtime resident, said the shooting shocked him, and put the neighborhood on edge. I grew up here in the 90s and early 2000s, he said. Crime here back then there used to be shootouts in the alleys because everyone used to come from everywhere to go shopping here. So this area used to be crazy back then. Now Im surprised something like this happened because this kind of stuff doesnt happen often nowadays, said Sadlee. Its much quieter over here nowadays, much quieter. The neighborhood is much more community-oriented. Neighborhood resident Eric Erroyo, 43, said he has to be more cautious now. Its crazy, he said. Thats why I get home before 10 oclock. Its just too much going on. A gangbanger accused of fatally shooting his pregnant girlfriend in her Lower East Side apartment has been brought back to New York to face murder charges. Dennis Applewhite, who also goes by the name Dennis Fredricks, was captured in New Jersey the night he shot 27-year-old Brittani Duffy in the neck at the Vladeck Houses on Madison St. near Jackson St. last Nov. 11. Advertisement Dennis Fredricks has been arrested for shooting his pregnant girlfriend in the Lower East Side. (Obtained by Daily News) She died of her wounds days later. Applewhite, 28, a member of the Air it Out gang, was arrested in Bogota, N.J., after a short manhunt. He carjacked an elderly motorist and crashed the stolen car, then fought off cops taking him into custody, the Bergen County Sheriffs office reported. Advertisement Hes been in custody ever since, and on Tuesday he was sent to Rikers Island without bail. Hes slated to return to Manhattan Supreme Court on Wednesday. Applewhite, who lives in the Bronx, was sentenced to three years in prison in 2014 on a conspiracy charge stemming from a firearms arrest in 2008, and was released to parole in 2017. A former high-ranking police commander in Mexico will spend 10 years in U.S. prison for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from a drug cartel in exchange for information on American investigations into its operations. Ivan Reyes Arzate, 49, personally met in 2016 with leaders of El Seguimiento 39, a drug cartel associated with Joaquin El Chapo Guzmans Sinaloa cartel, while serving as the top-ranking officer in the Mexican federal polices sensitive-investigation unit in 2016. Advertisement The cartel paid Reyes Arzate a $290,000 bribe in exchange for the top-secret information. Ivan Reyes Arzate In betraying his oath and partners in law enforcement in exchange for cash bribes, Arzate became a willing participant in drug trafficking and in spreading massive and dangerous amounts of cocaine in our communities, said Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace. Corrupt police officers who use their government positions to further the interests of the drug cartels and harm our communities will be brought to justice and punished for their crimes. Their badges will not shield them from accountability. Advertisement At the time of the meeting, Reyes Arzate was investigating El Seguimiento 39 in collaboration with American investigators. The police commander was fired the day after the bribe was discovered. I know that the scourge of drugs caused a lot of pain to a lot of people, Reyes Arzate said at his sentencing in Brooklyn Federal Court. I profoundly regret whatever pain was caused by my actions. Reyes Arzate pleaded guilty in October to accepting the bribe. Prosecutors had alleged that the disgraced cop also assisted the Beltran-Leyva Organization drug trafficking operation. He has been jailed on the charges in Brooklyn since January 2020. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Rumors circulated after his arrest that Reyes Arzate could be cooperating with the feds and could even testify against Genaro Garcia Luna, Mexicos former federal director of public safety, who has been charged with accepting millions in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel. Mexico's Federal Secretary of Public Safety Genaro Garcia Luna (Dario Lopez-Mills/AP) But Reyes Arzates lawyer, prosecutors and the judge in the case dispelled those rumors Wednesday. The defendant is definitely not a cooperator, said Brooklyn Federal Judge Brian Cogan after an off-the-record conversation with lawyers from both sides. Seized weapons from alleged members of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel are taken away by federal agents after a press conference in Mexico City. In a major embarrassment for Mexican law enforcement, U.S. prosecutors said in documents made public on April 6, 2017, that Ivan Reyes Arzate, the commander of the Mexican police's intelligence-sharing unit, was passing information to the Beltran Leyva drug cartel in exchange for cash. (Alexandre Meneghini/ASSOCIATED PRESS) Reyes Arzates lawyer Mark DeMarco had asked for a five-year sentence in the case. Advertisement The crimes he committed are inexcusable, but Mr. Reyes acknowledges that, DeMarco said. He is remorseful. ... Mr. Reyes has been sufficiently punished. But Cogan said that would not be sufficient in a case in which Reyes Arzate betrayed the trust of American authorities. The time Reyes Arzate has already spent behind bars will count toward his sentence, meaning he will serve about eight more years in prison. A Virginia man kidnapped his 18-year-old stepdaughter, assaulted her and then poisoned her with heroin, according to a jury. Wesley Hadsell was convicted Monday of first-degree murder and concealment of a body in the 2015 death of AJ Hadsell while she was home for spring break from Longwood University. Advertisement Hadsell had been kicked out of his house days earlier by AJs mom over his drug use and erratic behavior, prosecutors alleged during the trial, according to the Virginian Pilot. On March 2, 2015, he allegedly kidnapped AJ while she was home folding laundry, leaving the laundry room with clothes strewn about and music still playing. Wesley Hadsell, left, was convicted of first-degree murder and concealment of a body in the 2015 death of stepdaughter AJ Hadsell. AJs body was found partially buried in a drainage ditch behind an abandoned house near the state border with North Carolina five weeks later. Advertisement A medical examiner was unable to determine if she had been sexually assaulted due to the level of damage done by animals and insects while her body lay in the ditch. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > AJ died from acute heroin poisoning and homicidal violence, according to the MEs report. Her body had three times the lethal amount of heroin. Hadsell then tried to cover up the murder, according prosecutors, even going as far as to break into one of her friends house and leaving behind a jacket with her name embroidered on it. His defense attorneys tried to paint AJ as depressed about her boyfriend. She died by suicide from a heroin overdose as she tried to cure her migraines, they alleged. The jury didnt buy it. Investigators also tracked down Hadsells drug dealer, who confirmed he sold him heroin the day before AJ vanished. Heroin was also found in his motel room where hed been staying since getting kicked out by AJs mother. Bank records, surveillance footage and cell phone data placed both stepfather and stepdaughter in the same areas the day after her disappearance. Hadsell faces up to life in prison at his sentencing on April 4. A Colorado mom was sentenced Wednesday to 16 years in prison after admitting to secretly abusing her daughter and faking the little girls illnesses. Kelly Turner, 43, pleaded guilty in January to child abuse negligently causing death, among other charges. She was initially charged with first-degree murder in the 2017 death of her 7-year-old daughter, Olivia Gant. Advertisement Kelly Turner is pictured in an Oct. 18, 2018, mugshot from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. (AP) Turner spent years convincing doctors that Olivia was suffering from a variety of medical problems, soliciting donations on GoFundMe and setting up a special day for Olivia through the Make-a-Wish Foundation, according to investigators. But Olivia was actually perfectly healthy until Turner started her scheme, police said. Turner made her first suspect hospital visit in 2012, and the next year a surgeon removed part of Olivias small intestine and inserted a feeding tube. Advertisement Prosecutors said that was the first of a series of medical procedures, all encouraged by Turner despite doctors inability to find anything wrong with Olivia, that landed Olivia in hospice care. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Medical professionals said that when Olivia was admitted to the hospital in 2017, she was only getting about 30% of the nutrition she needed to survive. In August 2017, Turner asked doctors to stop medical care and let her daughter die, investigators said. Olivia died Aug. 20, 2017. Her cause of death was listed as intestinal failure, but an autopsy later showed no signs of that. The full results were inconclusive. That autopsy was only performed after Turner took one of her older daughters to the hospital in 2018, claiming the girl had cancer. She did not, leading police to launch an investigation into Olivias death. They learned that doctors relied almost entirely on Turners claims when treating her daughter. Investigators believe Turner has Munchausen syndrome by proxy an attention-seeking, psychological disorder in which parents or guardians make up an illness or injury for those in their care. Turner brought the diagnosis up unprompted during an interview with police, denying that she had it. According to police, Turner obtained about $550,000 through Medicare and between $100,000 and $1 million from various charitable organizations while faking Olivias sicknesses. After Turner pleaded not guilty to the murder charges, she took a plea deal in which she admitted to child abuse negligently causing death, felony theft and felony charity fraud. She faced a maximum of 30 years behind bars for the three crimes. With News Wire Services The parents of the Michigan teenager charged with killing four of his classmates appeared in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing, but the hearing went unfinished due procedural issues. James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, were charged with involuntary manslaughter and have been behind bars since shortly after the Nov. 30 massacre at Oxford High School outside Detroit. Advertisement Jennifer and James Crumbley appear at their preliminary hearing Tuesday in Rochester Hills, Mich. (Paul Sancya/AP) At the preliminary hearing, prosecutors essentially gave a preview of their case against the Crumbleys, calling several witnesses who spoke about Ethans mental health struggles and his parents indifference to them. Ethan was charged as an adult on more than two dozen counts, including four first-degree murder counts and one terrorism charge. He waived his own preliminary hearing and is expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity at trial. Advertisement His parents preliminary hearing will likely serve as a table-setter ahead of their own trial, but it was not officially completed Tuesday. Jennifer and James Crumbley appear at their preliminary hearing Tuesday in Rochester Hills, Mich. (Paul Sancya/AP) Witnesses testified that Jennifer Crumbley thought of her own son as weird and her co-worker said she was having an affair with another man, leading to frequent arguments with James Crumbley at their home in Oxford, about 35 miles north of Detroit. Prosecutors have previously said that the Crumbleys bought Ethan a gun on Black Friday as an early Christmas gift. He then used the gun four days later to kill Tate Myre, 16; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17, according to investigators. School officials at Oxford High School had recognized Ethans concerning behavior and held a meeting with his parents on the day of the shooting, but James and Jennifer dismissed any issues and insisted that Ethan stay in school. He opened fire just hours later, police said. At the beginning of Tuesdays hearing, the Crumbleys defense team asked for a delay, claiming they didnt have enough time to review all the evidence. By the end of the day, theyd created that delay. Prosecutors called police detective Edward Wagrowski, who spoke about thousands of text messages between Ethan and a friend. The defense claimed that they werent given access to some of the messages, citing specific examples that were missing in their own files. Because there were simply too many messages to figure it out in one day, the judge paused the hearing and said it would resume Feb. 24. A New Jersey nurse accused of burning a fellow hospital worker and attacking her with a wrench has been found dead from an apparent suicide. Authorities had been searching for 54-year-old Nicholas Pagano, contracted agency nurse, since Monday, when he allegedly set fire to a break room at Hackensack University Medical Center, the Bergen County Prosecutors Office said. When authorities arrived on the scene around 5:15 a.m., they discovered a victim suffering third-degree burns to her upper body, face and hands, as well as a cut to her head requiring stitches. Advertisement She was initially treated at the hospital but later transferred to another facility, where she remained in critical but stable condition on Wednesday. Sources told NBC News that Pagano allegedly attacked his colleague with a culinary torch and a wrench before fleeing the scene on foot. He was being sought on attempted murder and aggravated arson charges in connection with the attack. Advertisement On Tuesday, prosecutors revealed Pagano had been found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Waterford Township. They believe he stole his brothers gun to carry out his final act. No one witnessed what led up to the fiery incident and a motive so far remains unclear. Pagano was not a hospital employee, but had served at Hackensack University Medical Center as a contracted nurse since November. Authorities said he cleared the required background check to work at the medical facility. With News Wire Services Chinese peacekeepers play traditional Chinese musical instruments. GAO, Mali, Feb. 9 -- Chinese peacekeeping staff officers at the headquarters of United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) organized a Chinese traditional cultural exchange day under the assistance of the 9th Chinese peacekeeping contingent to Mali on the occasion of the Chinese Lunar New Year in early February. On this special Chinese festival, they invited all the staff of MINUSMA Sector East and peacekeepers from various countries to experience traditional Chinese customs. The traditional martial arts, folk music performances, guitar playing and other programs prepared by Chinese peacekeepers received unanimous praise from foreign friends. Brigadier General Andersson Stefan Jan, commander of MINUSMA Sector East, took a group photo with the Chinese staff officers and expressed his heartfelt wishes for the Chinese New Year. Mr. Mohamed Souef, civil chief of the Gao region, delivered a speech at the event and highly praised the contributions made by the Chinese peacekeepers and the significance of the exchange day. Almost a decade after 19-year-old Kara Nichols vanished, investigators believe they have found her remains. The teenage model was last seen on Oct. 9, 2012 when she left her Colorado Springs, Colo., home to drive to Denver with friends for a photoshoot. Advertisement She never came home. In mid-January, the El Paso County Sheriffs Office began a cold case review of Nichols disappearance and located a new witness, who provided critical information that provided a significant new lead, officials said Tuesday, providing no further details about the witness or why the information never came to light during the original investigation. Advertisement Kara Nichols Using the new lead, detectives and an FBI Evidence Response Team were dispatched to the location and found remains tentatively identified as Nichols. There have been hundreds of hours worked on this case, dozens of search warrants executed, and numerous leads which have come in over the duration of this case spanning across the United States and Europe, Sheriff Bill Elder said in a statement. These types of cases are complex and difficult to solve. It is imperative to use every resource available. This is accomplished through the relationships we have built with our law enforcement partners, to include the FBI, the 4th Judicial District Attorneys Office, as well as many others. We would like to extend our gratitude to these agencies for their time, effort, and resources. They understand the importance of finding justice for victims of violent crime. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > No cause of death was revealed. Joel Hollendorfer (El Paso County Sheriffs Office) Joel Hollendorfer, 46, was arrested and has been charged with second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. Its unclear if or how he knew Nichols. It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart, that we share that we were informed yesterday by authorities, that our beautiful daughters remains were found and a suspect has been arrested in the case, Nichols family wrote on Facebook Tuesday. We are writing to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all of those who tirelessly gave time, money, attention and assistance to finding Kara over the past ten years. Advertisement Police have provided no additional details, including how long Nichols had been dead before they found her body. In November 2012, a month after she vanished, the El Paso County Sheriffs Office said they believed her dreams of being a model caused Kara to fall prey to a subculture of modeling business fronts that many times involve illicit drugs and prostitution. Members of Congress, despite disagreeing on policy, generally treat each other with a baseline level of respect, even with members of another party. Generally. According to a series of tweets, Ohio Rep. Joyce Beatty, 71, a Democrat and the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, asked Kentucky Rep. Hal Rogers, 84, a Republican currently serving his 21st term, to put on a mask before boarding the train that shuttles people to and from the House floor. Advertisement Instead, Rogers allegedly poked Beatty in the back before hurling an expletive at her. Kentucky congressman Hal Rogers told Ohio congresswoman Joyce Beatty. (AP; Getty Images) He then poked my back, demanding I get on the train. When I asked him not to touch me, he responded, kiss my a--, Beatty wrote. Advertisement This is the kind of disrespect we have been fighting for years, and indicative of the larger issue we have with GOP members flaunting health and safety mandates designed to keep us and our staff safe. She capped her thread asking for an apology. .@RepHalRogers, when you are ready to grow up and apologize for your behavior, you know where to find me. A request for comment from Rep. Rogers office was not immediately returned, but he reportedly confirmed his outburst occurred and apologized to Beatty Tuesday evening. My words were not acceptable, he told CNNs Manu Raju. The Kentucky Republican Party also did not return the Daily News request for comment. A 4-year-old Kentucky girl was last seen on Christmas Eve of 2020. Now, her mother has been arrested. Catherine McKinney and her boyfriend, Dakota Hill, have been charged with one count each of custodial interference, according to online jail records, and are awaiting to be transported from Thomas County Jail in Colby, Kansas, back to Kentucky to face charges. Advertisement Investigators say McKinney has been uncooperative with the investigation since her daughter, Serenity Ann, went missing more than a year ago. Serenity Ann McKinney (Shelby County Sheriffs Office) She refused to answer any of our questions and help us find the whereabouts of her daughter, Shelby County Sheriffs Office Capt. Blake Lisby told WDRB. Advertisement The arrests come just days after Serenitys extended family contacted law enforcement again, concerned that the young girl is in danger. The Kentucky Attorney General issued a public plea for information on Serenitys whereabouts Thursday. Catherine McKinney (left) and Dakota Hill (Thomas County Jail) Serenity is described as blue-eyed and blonde-haired with a birthmark on her stomach. She was last seen in Kentucky, around Shelby, Jefferson or Bullitt counties. Anyone with information is urged to call the Shelby County Sheriffs Office at 502-633-4324. Fish hooks would bring hookers, according to one Midwestern politician. An Ohio mayor suggested that allowing ice fishing could open a path to prostitution, according to a video shared by Cleveland news station WKYC. Advertisement The comment was made Tuesday by Craig Shubert, the mayor of Hudson, during a City Council meeting. If you open this up to ice fishing, while on the surface it sounds good, then what happens next year? Does someone come back and say, I want an ice shanty on Hudson Springs Park for X amount of time? Shubert asked. Advertisement And if you then allow ice fishing with shanties, then that leads to another problem: prostitution, added Shubert, who said the chief of police would then presumably get involved. Shuberts suggestion was met with silence, and a quizzical look from Council President Chris Foster, who was seated next to him. Council member Chris Banweg broke the ice by replying, Thats why Im not in favor of shanties, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The mayor previously garnered attention last when he compared giving students a book that contains writing prompts about sex and alcohol to distributing essentially what is child pornography in the classroom. Hudson is about 30 miles southeast of Cleveland. A candidate for the Texas House of Representatives said during a forum last week that transgender kids make her uncomfortable. She also complained that other children are not allowed to make fun of them. Former Spanish teacher Shelley Luther was recorded saying that shes not comfortable with the transgenders, more specifically with the kids that they brought in my classroom and said that this kid is transgendering into a different sex. Advertisement Luther, a true Christian conservative Republican [who] has the courage to stand up against the liberal agenda, sounded frustrated because I couldnt have kids laugh at them. WATCH: Shelley Luther, a Texas GOP candidate and former teacher, said transgender children make her uncomfortable, and she complained that their classmates werent allowed to make fun of them. https://t.co/c8AX8IFpY8 pic.twitter.com/R25rfROza7 Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) February 8, 2022 After a brief pause, she continued saying that other kids got in trouble for having transgender kids my class, explaining the reason why she supports school choice, a program that provides alternatives to parents or legal guardians who dont wish to send their children to the local public schools to which they are assigned. Advertisement A clip of the event was shared by the Houston Chronicle. Salon owner Shelley Luther adjusts her hair while listening to a question after she was cited by City of Dallas officials for reopening her Salon A la Mode in Dallas, Friday, April 24, 2020. (LM Otero/AP) The Republican candidate for House District 62 in northeast Texas is also the owner of a salon in Dallas. She first made headlines in early 2020, after she was jailed for defying state stay-at-home orders and opening her business, Salon a la Mode in North Dallas. Her act of defiance earned her respect from hard-line conservatives, as well as a new high-profile client. On May 8, 2020, Sen. Ted Cruz shared on Twitter that he had a haircut for the first time in 3 months at Salon ALa Mode to support Shelley Luther. According to the Texas senator, she was wrongly imprisoned when she refused to apologize for trying to earn a living. Glad Shelley is out of jail & her business is open!, he wrote sharing a photo of his hair appointment, seen as many as a photo opp. Two of the three inmates who escaped a Tennessee jail through an air vent were killed after a police pursuit. Tobias Carr, 38, and Timothy Sarver, 45, died in Brunswick County, N.C., the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirmed Tuesday. Advertisement The third fugitive, 50-year-old Johnny Shane Brown, remains on the run as of Wednesday afternoon. The inmates escaped from the Sullivan County Jail in Blountville, Tenn., on Friday through an air vent, then fled in a white Chevrolet Silverado truck, according to police. Advertisement Tobias Carr (left) and Timothy Sarver were killed. (Sullivan County Sheriffs Office) Its unclear when the trio split up, but by Saturday morning, Carr and Sarver had made it to North Carolina, where they allegedly robbed a convenience store and then led police in a chase to Wilmington, almost 400 miles away from the jail. There, Carr and Sarvers car was disabled, according to the Sullivan County Sheriffs Office. No further details have been released. Carr was imprisoned on charges of second-degree murder, vandalism and tampering with evidence. Sarver had been charged with second-degree murder, auto theft, identity theft, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawfully carrying a weapon. Brown faces charges of violating an order of protection, domestic assault and aggravated stalking. Anyone with information on Browns whereabouts is asked to call 1-800-TBI-FIND. A reward of up to $7,500 is available. City and state lawmakers are amped up over a sudden rate spike that many New Yorkers are now seeing on their Con Ed energy bills charges that could make it impossible for some to afford rent and their utilities. Brandy Bora, a corporate executive who rents a loft in Greenpoint, said her familys Con Ed bill shot up from $300 in December to $850 last month an increase, which, if sustained, will mean theyll eventually be forced to move. Advertisement I dont even know what to do, Bora, who lives with her husband and their 6-year-old daughter, told the Daily News on Tuesday. I literally cant pay that. A Con Edison power generating plant in Lower Manhattan, New York. (Shutterstock) Bora is especially worried about the summer months, when cooling the apartment is almost sure to cost them much more. Advertisement Im already a high earner, she said. I cant make more money. Tiffany Chu, a landlord who owns a building in Brooklyn, New York says her Con Ed bill jumped from about $73 dollars in December 2021 to more than $350 in January 2022, with her kilowatt-hour rate climbing from 6 cents to 18 cents over the same period. Tiffany Chu, a landlord who owns a building in the same part of Brooklyn as Bora, told The News her Con Ed electricity bill jumped from about $73 in December to more than $350 last month, with her kilowatt-hour rate climbing from 6 cents to 18 cents over the same period. It seems like everyone in this area is experiencing it, Chu said, adding that shes been trying to contact Con Ed for a week, with no luck. You cannot reach a live person. Tiffany Chu, a landlord who owns a building in Brooklyn, says her Con Ed bill jumped from about $73 dollars in December 2021 (top) to more than $350 in January 2022 (bottom), with her kilowatt-hour rate climbing from 6 cents to 18 cents over the same period. The massive increase isnt only being felt in their neighborhood, though. City Councilman Lincoln Restler said the rest of Brooklyn is seeing it in their bills, too, and state Sen. Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris said its socking his Queens constituents as well. Both Democratic lawmakers are so distressed with the calls theyve been getting from residents that they demanded on Tuesday that the states Public Service Commission direct the Department of Public Service to investigate the sudden and precipitous rate hikes. The extreme overnight increases in our constituents energy bills are simply outrageous, Restler said. Its the commissions job to protect New Yorkers when utility companies try to pass on fluctuations in the marketplace onto consumers, and we urgently need the PSC to intervene. A Con Edison truck is pictured in Union Square, Manhattan, New York. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images) Restler, who represents Greenpoint and Williamsburg, was joined by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and 13 other Brooklyn Council members in making his demand for an official probe. Advertisement In a letter dated Feb. 8 to state Public Service Commission Chairman Rory Christian, they write that they are deeply concerned about constituents reports of bills doubling and even tripling in just a month, and that an investigation is needed to get to the bottom of it. They also pointed out that Con Ed is planning a double-digit rate hike that could hit consumers next year on top of the recent price increases. In a separate letter sent out Tuesday, Gianaris contends that the bill hikes are hurting thousands of New Yorkers and that the commission must work to provide relief to New Yorks ratepayers now. My constituents, no stranger to high energy bills already, have seen their bills increase dramatically by up to 300%, Gianaris writes in his letter. The PSC must seek answers. New York State Senate Deputy Majority Leader, Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) (Hans Pennink/AP) Specifically, Gianaris said he wants to know why consumers were not notified in advance of the price increases so they could plan accordingly. Con Ed spokesman Jamie McShane pointed to a high winter demand for natural gas and fluctuations in the global energy market as prime factors driving the rising prices consumers are now seeing. Advertisement But even without that, Con Eds electricity prices are among the highest of any major utility company in the U.S., aside from Alaska and Hawaii, according to data put out by the U.S. Energy Information Administration last fall. Con Ed spokesman Jamie McShane pointed to a high winter demand for natural gas and fluctuations in the global energy market as prime factors driving the rising prices consumers are now seeing. (Esha Ray/New York Daily News) Restler and his fellow Brooklyn lawmakers acknowledge in their letter that recent fluctuations in gas prices are at least in part to blame for the higher bills. But they also argue that utilities like Con Ed are supposed to hedge to smooth the swings in supply costs. McShane countered that Con Ed cannot control the practices of the companies they purchase gas from. Con Edison does not generate electricity, nor can we manage the financial practices of the private power generators or the suppliers of the natural gas, he said. Con Edison is seeking the ability to generate renewable energy in New York State for our customers, which would shift our dependence away from natural gas and this volatility. James Denn, a spokesman for the Public Service Commission, said that the commission does not regulate commodity or supply prices and that utilities do not set supply costs and do not make a profit on the supply. To address the increase in supply prices, Gov. Hochul recently announced that more than $373 million in home heating aid will be available for low- and middle-income New Yorkers who need assistance keeping their homes warm during the winter season, he said. Additionally, Gov. Hochul has made $150 million in federal funding available to help low-income households pay heating utility arrears if they do not qualify for that assistance under New Yorks Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Advertisement But others believe Hochul is not doing enough. Bill Ferris, a state legislative representative for AARP NY, is among them. AARP is concerned this spike in natural gas prices will only worsen the states utility arrears crisis. Rising utility bills are hurting older New Yorkers not only in New York City but across the state as they continue to feel the economic effects of COVID-19, Ferris said. Since the pandemic began, energy utility arrears have risen by $1 billion. AARP is disappointed that Gov. Hochul has failed to address this crisis in her budget proposal, even as the states budget plan is running surpluses. Denn would not say whether the state would investigate the recent Con Ed bill increases, but noted that the Department of Public Services plans to scrutinize the rate hike the utility has proposed for 2023. Additional reporting from Bill Sanderson and Tim Balk A recent Daily News headline, MTA chief says crime and vagrants keep people from the subway, got it exactly right. I agree with Janno Lieber that the proliferation of destitute men living underground is one of our most visible and damaging problems. The public perception of the dangers they present are enough to disturb any New Yorker. And what about the tourists and visitors New Yorks economy desperately needs? What image do these men present for our city, supposedly the greatest city in the world? What can be done to fix this problem? There have been several excellent op-eds in these pages making suggestions. All point toward how the public sector should do more. The governor, the mayor, the police commissioner, the MTA chief and others in government have all pledged to make things better, and Im pleased to say they all have taken positive steps to improve the situation. Advertisement The Doe Fund workers pick up their garbage pails on a Manhattan street corner before heading out to clean the streets, on Feb. 10, 2005, in New York. (KATHY WILLENS/AP) However, government officials have so many other problems to solve it is hard to believe this problem can sustain their attention. The subway problem needs a special effort by people dedicated to a solution. That effort is likely to best be undertaken by a dedicated, special group likely from outside government. What our city needs now is some help from the private sector. Let me explain how. First, perhaps contrary to popular belief, this problem is solvable. Although some of these men need serious mental help, many, if not most, can be rehabilitated. There is an organization that already does exactly that: the Doe Fund. They have rehabilitated nearly 30,000 similar subway-dwelling men over the last several decades. Other wonderful not-for-profits, like Fountain House, provide specific, targeted help, such as mental health support for the most seriously disturbed. But only the Doe Fund provides a three-legged stool approach that combines work, transitional housing and support services. Advertisement Some, not all, of these men can be helped by the Doe Fund. Others may need more significant, specific medical help. But if you take some away from the total, the number needing other specific treatment will be more manageable. The Doe Fund takes men who you might never believe could be rehabilitated, and, they not only give them the medical, physical and social support they need, but also the skills and disciplinary training necessary to lead stable, productive lives. Most people see the Doe Funds men in blue uniforms cleaning the streets, but thats just the start. As someone gets healthy, they can promote to other jobs, particularly construction and maintenance jobs. The fund recently added a training program for welding. Yes, the next time you see a desperate man sleeping in the subways, you should picture a healthy productive welder helping build New York. And comparing the funds stats with numbers available from the city the annual cost per success is 40% less than the cost per exit from the general shelter system. Of course, they cant scale up to help more people without more money. The state and the city have both been generous to organizations like the Doe Fund and others, but far more is needed. So here is my challenge to the private sector: I ask the most successful New Yorkers to get more involved by helping the organizations that can solve this problem, in particular the Doe Fund. Thousands of wonderful New Yorkers make small contributions, but to make a big dent in this problem, far more must be raised. This is where the business community, and individuals who have had the good fortune of benefiting from NYCs great economic environment and who need the subways to recover if theyre going to get workers happy to return to their offices, come in. There are about 3,000 of these destitute men in need of serious help. At the same time, there are about 3,000 people in NYC who report annual incomes of more than $10 million, and tens of thousands more with incomes exceeding a million. New York City is home to hundreds of international corporations with earnings measured in the billions. With this wealth, and with the Doe Funds programs, there is every reason to believe that we can help a substantial number of these men, and at the same time, help us all (including the millions of visitors and tourists) enjoy a far safer and more beautiful city. A big tax-deductible donation would be like empowering a destitute man and setting him a path to a healthy life. Without this help, the problem will persist. Can we still say we are the greatest city in the world if we dont solve this problem, or at least make a good-faith effort to try? Riccio is a lecturer at Columbias School of International and Public Affairs and a former MTA board member. The recent ABC mini-series, Women of the Movement, which the network broadcast on three consecutive Thursday nights in January, introduced Dr. T.R.M. Howard to millions of Americans who had never heard of the late civil rights leader. They deserve to know more. The series highlighted Mamie Till-Mobleys search for justice after her son, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American teenager from Chicago, was brutally murdered by two white men while vacationing in Mississippi. During the trial of the killers, Tills mother stayed in Howards home and he provided her an armed escort each day to the courtroom. When the killers were acquitted by the all-white jury, Howard pushed to reopen the case on the grounds that local authorities had suppressed evidence. Advertisement Dr. T.R.M. Howard of Mount Bayou, Mississippi, President of the Miss. Regional Council of Negro Leadership, at a press conference at the Hotel Theresa. (New York Daily News Archive/NY Daily News via Getty Images) Long before Tills fatal encounter, Howard who considered himself a disciple of Booker T. Washington already had become something of a Black folk hero in the Jim Crow-era south. Born to poverty in 1908 in Murray, Kentucky, Howards life exemplified a zealous commitment not only to civil rights, but to the African-American traditions of self-help, entrepreneurship and mutual aid. Advertisement A graduate of Union College in Lincoln, Neb., and the College of Medical Evangelists in California (now Loma Linda University), Howard began his rise to national prominence in 1942 after arriving in the all-Black town of Mound Bayou, Miss., to be chief surgeon at the all-Black Taborian Hospital. The town had been founded in the late 19th century as a beacon of successful Black self-government. In contrast to the rest of Mississippi, African-Americans both voted and held office there. The hospital provided affordable and high-quality health care to the poor without any government aid. By the end of the decade, Howard owned a 1,000-acre plantation, a home construction firm, a restaurant, a small zoo, had founded an insurance company and had built the first public swimming pool for Blacks in the state. Future civil rights icon Medgar Evers (himself a slaying victim, in 1963) got his start while selling insurance for Howards Magnolia Mutual Life Insurance Company. In 1951, Howard founded the Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL), which weaved together an agenda of self-help, mutual aid, thrift, business ownership and voter registration. The RCNL launched a far-reaching boycott of gas stations that denied African-Americans use of their restrooms, distributing an estimated 50,000 bumper stickers with the slogan, Dont Buy Gas Where You Cant Use the Rest Room. The RCNL picked its target well. As Howard pointed out, African-Americans wielded considerable economic leverage with gas stations because they were nearly as likely as whites to own cars. A typical scenario during the boycott was for Black customers to pull up to the pump, ask to use the restroom, and then drive off if the answer was no. When the RCNL petitioned school districts to implement the Supreme Courts 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, it faced its greatest challenge yet. Members of the White Citizens Councils, which included many of the Souths business leaders and had been organized to fight desegregation, struck back by systematically refusing loans and other credit to activists. Howard countered this by organizing a nationwide campaign to persuade black organizations and business owners to transfer their deposits to the black-owned Tri-State Bank of Memphis, where he served on the board of directors. Tri-State was then able to provide the loans, reducing the impact of the Citizen Council credit freeze. The extraordinary impact of T.R.M. Howard goes far beyond the heroic efforts depicted in Women of the Movement. His entire adult life illustrated how self-reliance and business success go hand-in-hand with civil rights. He was a determined advocate of non-violence, but stressed that African-Americans have the constitutional right to defend themselves when their lives and liberty are under attack, even with guns, if necessary. As Medgar Evers widow, Myrlie, put it: One look told you that he was a leader: kind, affluent and intelligent, that rare Negro in Mississippi who had somehow beaten the system. In our current toxic political environment, his story should serve as an inspiration for every American. Beito is professor emeritus at the University of Alabama, and Royster Beito, professor emeritus at Stillman College, are research fellows with Independent Institute in Oakland, Calif., and co-authors of the book, T.R.M. Howard: Doctor, Entrepreneur, Civil Rights Pioneer. Shay Mitchell is expecting baby number two. The Pretty Little Liars actress revealed Monday that she is pregnant with her second child with longtime partner, brand executive Matte Babel. Advertisement Shay Mitchell arrives at the Baby2Baby Gala at the Pacific Design Center on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021, in West Hollywood, Calif. (Jordan Strauss/Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) The couple are already parents to 2-year-old daughter, Atlas Noa. Saying goodbye to a loved one while simultaneously experiencing the joy of welcoming another into this world is the great cycle of life, Mitchell wrote in an Instagram caption of a topless photo showing her growing baby bump. Advertisement It is also my most challenging season to date, she added. I cant help but think this was the universes plan all along, knowing I would need other worldly joy to cushion the blow of losing one of the most important people in my life. The 34-year-old Canadian beauty revealed last week on Instagram that her grandmother died. Yet, this is proof that love, life and loss can profoundly exist all at the same time, Mitchell continued. Gram, I miss you every day. Little one, we are so excited to meet you. I breathe a sigh of peace knowing you two are already connected in such a cosmic way. An alum of Degrassi: The Next Generation, Mitchell currently stars in the Hulu comedy Dollface. South Africa: SAPS PPE corruption accused expected back in court The National Prosecuting Authority Investigating Directorate (NPA ID) says more arrests related to police corruption can be expected. This, as fifteen people were arrested and appeared in the Palm Ridge Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in connection with alleged corruption in the awarding of R1.9 million in SA Police Service Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) contracts. The bail applications of at least 12 of the suspects is expected to be heard in the court on Wednesday with three others already out on bail of R5000 each. The arrests follow an investigation into the capture of the SAPS procurement and supply chain to aid front companies to score lucrative contracts and facilitate kickbacks to SAPS senior officials. This is the sixth case by the ID tackling the scourge of corruption within the police service, NPA ID spokesperson, Sindiswa Seboka, said. She said the group faces several charges relating to the undue benefit of suppliers in the procurement of latex gloves for SAPS. The group face charges of corruption, theft, fraud and forgery. The gang was arrested by the task team of the National Police Commissioner and the (ID), for the acquisition of PPE valued at R1.9 million. The accused were arrested for allegations of having caused a supplier to unduly benefit from the procurement of latex gloves in April 2020 for the SAPS nationally, Seboka said. Meanwhile, the fraud and corruption case against former mayor and municipal manager of the Thulamela Local Municipal has been postponed in the Thohoyandou Magistrates Court. NPA spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said the two were arrested in connection with the looting of the Venda Building Society (VBS) Mutual Bank. The former mayor [Avhashoni Tshifhango] allegedly received a Jeep Cherokeevalued at R638 400 from the director of VBS as gratification for theinvestment made by the Thulamela Municipality and the municipal manager [Hlengani Maluleke] invested R30 million of municipal money into VBS, in contravention of the Municipal Finances Management Act, she said. The two have been granted R30 000 bail and the matter has been transferred to the Polokwane Specialised Commercial Crimes Court. The two are expected back in the court on May 24. Malabi-Dzhangi added that at least R1.6 billion has been lost by municipalities in Limpopo, Gauteng and the North West after illegally investing in the bank. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-02-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The USS Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier formations conduct exercises in the South China Sea. By Ling Yunzhi At the beginning of 2022, the US Navy took the opportunity of major formation rotations to conduct a large-scale troop build-up and display of power in the Western Pacific. Its intention is self-evident. The US move to deploy most of its mobile naval forces in the Asia-Pacific also shows its focus of "major power confrontation" in the Asia-Pacific region in the future, and we should be vigilant of the trends. US deploys a rare large-scale troop in Western Pacific With the implementation of the US "Indo-Pacific" strategy, its strategic focus has shifted to containing the rise of regional power and quickly resolving regional crises. The Western Pacific has increasingly become the focus of its naval deployment. The US Navy deployed unprecedented military power in the Western Pacific region this time. The "luxurious lineup" of three aircraft carriers and two amphibious assault ships almost took up most of the US Navy's mobile forces. The US Navy dispatched multiple aircraft carriers to the Western Pacific again just three months after last time to rehearse the future major power confrontation scenario, which aims to maintain its hegemonic dominance in the Asia-Pacific region through a show of force. As the security situation in the Asia-Pacific region escalates, the US military will increasingly strengthen its capability of flexible deployment and rapid response in the region, and the Western Pacific region will inevitably become its main battlefield in the future. Military dilemma makes the "multi-aircraft carrier" situation difficult to maintain Although the US is assembling multiple aircraft carriers and large amphibious assault ships in the Asia-Pacific region to flex its muscles, its overall military strength is inadequate, and it is struggling to cope with global action scheduling. As a result, the "multi-aircraft carrier deployment" situation in the Western Pacific cannot be maintained for a long time. On the one hand, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and the amphibious assault ship USS Essex formations have entered the final stage of deployment. On the other hand, since the amphibious assault ship USS Essex formation was transferred from the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific in the second half of last year, the US Navy met its first combat vacancy in the Middle East in recent years. The US must demonstrate a military presence in the Middle East as soon as possible, especially the deployment of aircraft carriers. In this case, the USS Abraham Lincoln Aircraft Carrier is very likely to be assigned to the Middle East in the near future. Although the current US aircraft carrier deployment in the Western Pacific region has reached its peak, the element of serving the diplomatic agenda is heavier. Its ability is falling short of its wishes. The so-called "joint operations" in the South China Sea is short-lived. There may even be a "window period" of no aircraft carrier deployment throughout the Asia-Pacific region for three to four months. Continued US provocations will put regional security at greater risk Since the Biden administration took office a year ago, the US military has constantly carried out provocative operations, including high-intensity close-in reconnaissance against China in the South China Sea, crossing the Taiwan Strait, so-called forward presence, strategic deterrence and "freedom of navigation operations", as well as exercises and battlefield construction. The frequency and range of its military activities have been significantly enhanced. According to incomplete statistics, in 2021, US large-scale reconnaissance aircrafts conducted about 1,200 aerial close-in reconnaissance and approached 20 nautical miles from the baseline of the territorial waters of the Chinese mainland several times. The US aircraft carrier strike groups and amphibious alert groups entered the South China Sea for 13 times, twice the frequency of 2020. Moreover, the operation is getting richer and more complex. It is often fast in and fast out in the South China Sea, and the actual combat meaning is getting stronger. At the same time, the US has continued to upgrade the alliance system in order to win over other countries. In 2021, the US not only strengthened the Quad Mechanism with Japan, Australia and India, but also took the lead to form the AUKUS. It strives to establish an all-round, multi-form and multi-domain system to contain China, and that has been echoed and supported by some countries. The US will further woo countries that have disputes with China around the South China Sea to contain China. This will further strain the security situation in the South China Sea and make the strategic situation around China more complex and diverse. Generally speaking, the construction of the US security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region is only achieved by creating crises, divisions and turmoil in the region. The US is and will be the main troublemaker in the Asia-Pacific region. Facts have repeatedly proved that a series of actions taken by the US is constantly weakening the foundation of international cooperation and creating and accumulating the risk of major power confrontations. Whether it is the irresponsible nuclear proliferation in the South China Sea or the attempt to deploy missiles in the heart of Russia, the US provokes conflict with hostility and worsens the zero-sum game with confrontation, which makes the uncertain global situation under the COVID-19 pandemic with even more risks. The US deployment of most of its mobile naval forces in the Asia-Pacific also shows its focus of "major power confrontation" in the Asia-Pacific region in the future. Editor's note:The author is an professor at the Asia-pacific Development and Research Center, Nanjing University.This article is originally published on thepaper.cn, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn. Keeping up with Kimyes divorce saga. As we come up on a year after Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye Ye West, the 41-year-old reality star is finally sharing what led to the dissolution of one of Hollywoods most popular unions. Advertisement For so long, I did what made other people happy, Kardashian said in Vogues March cover story. And I think in the last two years I decided, Im going to make myself happy. And that feels really good. And even if that created changes and caused my divorce, I think its important to be honest with yourself about what really makes you happy. Ive chosen myself. I think its okay to choose you. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West attend the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Feb. 9, 2020 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) This decade of Kardashians life is about being Team Me, she explained, noting shell be focusing on staying healthy and will have more fun, spend more time with my kids and the people who make me happy ... put my phone down. Advertisement While ending a relationship is never seamless, Kardashian said she believes in being your co-parents biggest cheerleader, no matter what youre personally going through, to make things as amicable as possible in front of the kids. That is, except for when Ye, 44, publicly objected earlier this month to daughter North being on TikTok and Kardashian issued a rare statement in which she requested that all matters regarding our children remain behind closed doors. Kardashian, who last year filed to be made legally single, also did not comment on her relationship with Pete Davidson, who recently labeled her his girlfriend, but did reference their reported trip they took to Bahamas at the start of the year. I was in the Bahamas, and the people I was with said, Were on f--king vacation. We havent been on vacation in a long time. And then they threw their phones in the ocean, recalled Kardashian. I was like, What? What? What? Am I allowed to do that? West, 44, on Wednesday took to Instagram with images of the cover shoot, including those of the couples kids, which he captioned: GOD PLEASE BRING OUR FAMILY BACK TOGETHER. The arrest of Charlie Hall on charges that he murdered two people in a monthslong robbery spree in 1987 was a landmark for the Orlando Police Department the first of its kind since the agencys cold case unit was formed last year. I spoke with several of the former detectives who worked on this case over the phone Lt. Frank Chisari told reporters on Wednesday, a day after news broke of Halls arrest in the killings of Lawrence Stewart and Louie Holliday. You could hear the emotion in their voices that we had finally brought justice ... for the victims in these senseless murders. Advertisement Investigators were unable to find relatives of the victims to deliver the news, they said. Hall is currently being held without bond at the Orange County Jail after police say DNA on a swab of his mouth confirmed he was responsible for the killings. According to an affidavit and detectives who spoke at Wednesdays press conference, he showed remorse for his actions and was ready to face the consequences. Advertisement Orlando police Lt. Frank Chisari answers a question Wednesday, February 9, 2022, during a press conference announcing the arrest of Charlie James Hall in a homicide cold case from 1987. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) Hall had previously served prison time for some of the violent robberies but had never been conclusively implicated in the killings. Ive been wrestling with this case for 34 years, Hall allegedly told detectives. Even when I was incarcerated, I couldnt sleep because I know I hurt a lot of people. ... I felt that within myself that I had some unfinished business with the law. Hall was suspected of 16 armed robberies around the downtown Orlando area between August and October 1987, with reports of victims, most of them homeless, being brutally beaten with metal pipes, often while they slept. Hundreds of dollars in cash and other belongings were taken in the robberies before an OPD task force pointed to Hall as a suspect. The attacks were very brutal, detective Michael Fields said. These were some of our most vulnerable citizens sleeping on the side of a building on a piece of cardboard and they were beat in the head as they slept. Most of the victims were put into a coma to die. Hall was convicted for a couple of the robberies and later incarcerated several more times before his most recent release in 2010, Florida Department of Corrections records show. He was long suspected of killing Stewart and Holloway, whose bludgeoned bodies were found 11 days apart within blocks of each other. But nascent DNA technology couldnt tie him to the murders. Even as recently as 2009, DNA profiles created by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement couldnt definitively put Hall at the murder scenes. DNA in 1987 was brand new, Fields said. Detectives on Wednesday said eight more robberies in 1987 could be tied to Hall, but the statute of limitations to charge him long expired. Advertisement Charlie Hall, 55. While Halls arrest marks the first solved cold case homicide since OPDs specialized unit was created in March 2021, more than 250 cases are still without closure. Since its creation, the unit, which reinvestigates capital cases like murder and certain sex crimes, has reviewed 38 cold cases. As the technology continues to improve ... the odds are stacking more in our favor to find those individuals responsible for those kinds of offenses, OPD Chief Orlando Rolon said. Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > At the time and in recent interviews with police, Hall said he was suffering from mental illness and an addiction to drugs amid the nationwide crack epidemic, which he said made him into a monster, an affidavit said. Hall hasnt returned to prison since his release in 2010 and was married for 12 years by the time he was found at home near downtown Orlando. In an affidavit, Hall allegedly said he wanted to clear this up, referring to the murders. And in 2022, Fields said, Hall is definitely not the same monster that I pictured him in 1987. It doesnt change that he killed two people, but he definitely appeared to be a changed man, Fields said. Advertisement I cant imagine the burden of having committed a crime like this hanging over my head, Chisari added. But I would imagine that as you reach later points in your life and youve had an opportunity to live a free life, that this is something you want to get off your shoulders. If you feel that way ... were all ears. creyes-rios@orlandosentinel.com Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Barbara Jenkins announced Tuesday she will retire at the end of the year. She is shown speaking at an Orange County COVID-19 briefing at the Orange County Administration Center, on Wednesday, February 2, 2022. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/ Orlando Sentinel) (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel) Barbara Jenkins, who has led Orange County Public Schools for a decade, announced Tuesday she will leave the superintendents job by the end of the year. Please dont think Im just running out on you. Ill be here until December, Jenkins said at Tuesdays Orange County School Board meeting. Advertisement The first woman to serve as superintendent in Orange, Jenkins said her decision to retire at the end of this year was dictated by her entry into the the states deferred retirement plan in 2018. That requires her to stop work by the end of 2022. I dont want anyone to think I am just now deciding to retire because of various things that are going on, Jenkins said, referring to ongoing controversies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertisement The truth is it was set five years ago, she said, adding she might have reconsidered then if she had known what the school district would face in 2022. Though board members knew her retirement would come this year, Jenkins said she decided it was time to make that news public. I love this district, she said. I want to say upfront how confident I am this stellar school board and phenomenal staff will continue to do great things on behalf of this community. Board members said they would move quickly to start the process of hiring Jenkins replacement, thankful they had plenty of time. The school district enrolls more than 206,000 students, making it the eighth-largest in the country. It is also the fourth large Florida school district to face a change of guard in its top office this year. The Miami-Dade County School Board hired a new superintendent last month after Superintendent Alberto Carvalho took the superintendents job in Los Angeles. The Broward County School Board is to make a decision Wednesday on its next leader, and the Pinellas County School Board is in the midst of a search to replace its superintendent who is retiring in July. Im not worried about us faltering, said board member Pam Gould, who said a board committee already met about a possible recruitment process. Community, do not worry. We will have a plan that we will share. Jenkins was deputy superintendent in 2012 when then Superintendent Ron Blocker retired and she applied for the job. The school board interviewed three finalists and then unanimously chose Jenkins, citing her long tenure in OCPS. Advertisement Breaking News As it happens Be the first to know with email alerts on important breaking stories from the Orlando Sentinel newsroom. > Jenkins started her education career as a teacher in the district, then became a principal and a district-level administrator. She later worked for a time as an administrator with Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district in North Carolina but returned to Orange in 2006 to serve as Blockers chief of staff and then as his top deputy. She is a graduate of Winter Park High School and earned bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in education from the University of Central Florida. Jenkins said she would work to start a superintendents scholarship fund before she left with the goal of moving more young peopleinto the teacher profession, a project she hopes will be supported by the community. That makes me smile, she said. That makes it more palatable to be leaving you at a time like this. Several board members said they would miss Jenkins and her commitment to the school system. Angie Gallo said initially she found the superintendent a little intimidating but grew to appreciate how much she cared for students. I know where your heart is, Gallo added. Advertisement lpostal@orlandosentinel.com OCALA A student who was injured in a 2018 shooting at a north Florida high school is seeking more than $30,000 in a lawsuit filed against the school district. The lawsuit filed late Monday claims Marion County Public Schools failed to provide sufficient security on April 20, 2018 when a former student brought a sawed-off shotgun onto the Forest High School campus in Ocala. Advertisement The shooting happened weeks after 17 people were killed by a former student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. In that case, a former student also brought a gun to campus. Officials said Sky Bouche brought the gun to school in a guitar case and armed himself in the bathroom before shooting into a classroom. Advertisement He pleaded no contest in 2021 and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The gunshot hit Evan Ekenroth, who was then 17, in the lower legs. The lawsuit, filed by Joe Scapa of Dan Newlin Injury Attorneys in Orlando, claims Ekenroth suffered scarring and mental anguish. School district spokesman Kevin Christian told the newspaper the district does not comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit claims the school district failed to implement proper security measures and did not keep nonstudents from accessing the schools parking lot and main building. Four days after the shooting, the school board approved $224,000 to pay for 34 new resource officers to protect elementary and charter schools for the rest of that school year, the Ocala Star-Banner reported. Voters later approved a tax referendum to provide more teachers and to pay for security at the districts 50-plus schools. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Thats surely the case with proposed legislation that could affect millions of people who rent in Florida. Out-of-state companies are lobbying legislators for a new state law that would replace high, refundable security deposits with lower, non-refundable monthly fees that could be charged to tenants indefinitely. Advertisement Its true that a lump-sum security deposit, usually equal to one months rent, is a major financial burden for many renters, and a fee of, say, $25 a month sounds like an appealing alternative. But this idea should set off alarms and not only because its driven by the for-profit insurtech industry. [ RELATED: South Floridas rent crisis: Some no longer can afford their longtime homes as rents rise by as much as 40% ] The up-front costs of renting an apartment are staggering for too many people, and the housing crisis engulfing Florida makes it increasingly unaffordable to live here. But its unconscionable that the answer legislators are offering is another way to entrap unsuspecting tenants into an endless cycle of monthly fees they will never get back. Advertisement Affordable housing is becoming an increasing challenge. (Getty Images / Getty Images) It gets worse Worse, under an amended Senate bill, those fees would be used to buy unregulated financial products, wrongly marketed as insurance, that do not protect tenants against repair costs and would be an invitation to even greater abuse. Any consumer who expects the Legislature to protect them against potential rip-offs is asking for trouble. [ RELATED: Relief or poor tax? Companies offer an alternative to apartment security deposits for Florida renters ] This worrisome trend is spreading across the country, as similar programs have passed in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati and elsewhere. One version of the misleading renters choice option is being pushed by LeaseLock, a California company, which hired a prominent Tallahassee lobbying firm and recently contributed to political committees run by the Republican sponsors of both bills, Rep. Jim Mooney of Islamorada and Sen. Jim Boyd of Bradenton. The Tallahassee Democrat, citing text messages and emails it obtained as public records, reported that a LeaseLock lobbyist drafted an early version of the bill and wrote Boyds talking points. Thats a common example of behind-the-scenes influence and its another sign of trouble. Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, has worked with a lobbyist for LeaseLock on an alternative to renters' security deposits. (Florida Channel ) As part of its legislative strategy, LeaseLock attempts to ease the burden on tenants by emphasizing that the monthly fees are optional, that tenants can switch back to a security deposit at any time, and that fees must be disclosed in writing. How reassuring. Anti-consumer hostility Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > As two bills (SB 884 and HB 537) move along in a pro-business state Capitol that has long been hostile to working people, Republicans have predictably rejected attempts to add even modest consumer-friendly protections. Democratic Sen. Gary Farmer of Lighthouse Point offered an amendment in the Senate Community Affairs Committee to cap the fees at no more than one months rent, while allowing tenants to pay them in 12 equal monthly installments over a year. To sweeten the proposal, Farmer added an extra 5% bonus for landlords, but Republicans still said no. Farmer and fellow Democrats Tina Polsky of Boca Raton and Janet Cruz of Tampa voted against the bill, but Republicans passed it on a 6-3 vote. The GOP supporters included Sen. Ileana Garcia of Miami and Jason Brodeur of Sanford. LeaseLock claims it offers the fee option at 129 multifamily communities in Florida, including several in Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, Miami, North Miami Beach, West Palm Beach and elsewhere. The company declined the Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards request to identify the properties. Landlords have the right to ensure that tenants respect their property, and tenants must be liable for the damage they cause. But housing costs in Florida are out of control. Thats why two dozen legislators petitioned Gov. Ron DeSantis in December to declare an emergency due to the lack of housing affordability a request that was ignored. The lawmakers urged DeSantis to use a price gouging law, normally used after hurricanes, to prosecute landlords who impose rent hikes of more than 10% in a state where rents have skyrocketed by 40%. Advertisement Tenants desperately need help. What they dont need is a landlords version of payday loans with an endless cycle of monthly fees that do not cover the damages that are typically covered by a security deposit. The Senate bill is explicit: A fee collected under this section, an insurance product, or a surety bond accepted by a landlord in lieu of a security deposit, is not a security deposit. Its like paying an insurance premium and getting no insurance coverage. If these bills pass, it will cause financial stress for more Floridians, while profiteers from out-of-state reap the benefits. Renters need relief but this isnt the answer. This is a joint editorial by the Sun Sentinel, whose editorial board consists of Steve Bousquet, Dan Sweeney and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson, and the Orlando Sentinel, whose editorial board includes Anderson, Krys Fluker, Jay Reddick and Jennifer Marcial Ocasio. To contact us, email at insight@orlandosentinel.com. Anyone who has been shopping recently has noticed it long expanses of empty shelves, websites with merchandise marked out of stock. Sometimes its canned goods in short supply, sometimes paper plates. Earlier this year, popular brands of baby formula became hard to find, sending parents to Facebook groups to chase down supplies. Meanwhile, the price of new and used cars continues to climb, due to shortages of critical parts and computer chips while builders complain that they cant get the drywall and hardware they need to finish projects. Americans have been accustomed to goods that magically appeared whenever they were required. With a pandemic hitting hard at manufacturing facilities and shipping lines, consumers are learning hard lessons about the details and vulnerabilities of the nations supply chain. Advertisement But key Florida leaders also see opportunities to take this short-term crisis and translate it into long-term gain for the Sunshine State. If Florida does this right, the benefits could outlive COVID-based kinks in the flow of merchandise, providing a permanent boost in the quest to diversify the states economy. Some of the measures will take time and lots of money but talk is free, and we give Gov. Ron DeSantis and other state leaders credit for their aggressive promotion of Floridas alternatives to the congestion at West Coast mega-ports. DeSantis, in particular, has been beating the drum for months, and its the right time to make the pitch. This week, shipping analysts celebrated the fact that only 76 ships were waiting at the massive Los Angeles/Long Beach ports, a three-month low but transit times from the time container ships leave Asia to the point where the cargo is unloaded onto U.S. soil have more than doubled since the pre-COVID era, reports American Shipper magazine. Northern ports, including New York, are also reporting delays. Advertisement A worker glances up as an airplane passes three newly-commissioned Super Post-Panamax gantry cranes at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, March 22, 2021. The $13.8 million cranes are the largest of their kind in the world and have the ability to handle containers stacked eight high and reach 22 containers across the ship's deck. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel) Some of that traffic is already diverting to Florida, with shippers calculating that the two-week detour from the west coast, through the Panama Canal and into one of Floridas 15 deepwater ports makes more sense than lingering at sea for an extra month or two. Not all of Floridas ports can handle the biggest container ships, but Port Tampa Bay, Port Everglades, Port Miami, Port Manatee and North Floridas JAXPORT are already seeing increases in various types of cargo including bulk materials, automobiles along with the standard 20-foot containers used to bring consumer products from manufacturers in China, India and other foreign manufacturers. Thats a welcome change from 2020 when port activity dropped by a significant 16 percent, the Florida News Service reported. That traffic augments Floridas long-held position as cruise capital of the world. The cruise industry is still in recovery mode, but once the pandemic threat fades it should send traffic at the states ports (particularly Port Miami, Port Everglades and Port Canaveral, the worlds three busiest cruise ports) surging once again. There are reasons Florida ports havent been as attractive to importers. Along with the obvious geographical challenges, theres a lack of infrastructure needed to support a more robust flow of cargo. And Florida leaders must recognize that ports are only one part of the picture. The states ground transportation network must be robust enough to handle the flow of inbound cargo and while lawmakers dont need to revive an ill-conceived and costly scheme to construct roads to nowhere that cut across largely vacant land, they should plan on improving the states most important arteries for truck traffic, along with augmenting the rail system to move cargo, vehicles and materials quickly and cleanly. Theres one more clear priority: As Florida pushes to expand its ports, it must set the national standard for environmental stewardship. While shipping and distribution support an estimated 900,000 jobs in the state, that number is dwarfed by the 1.7 million jobs generated by Floridas tourism and hospitality industry. Florida already has a lot of damage to repair, particularly in the sensitive Indian River Lagoon. The state shouldnt risk more degradation when it could instead lead the way in responsible port expansion. Still, Florida leaders are right to see the snarled shipping situation in the nations biggest ports as a golden opportunity. Lawmakers are ready to invest in port infrastructure, adding to hundreds of millions in federal funding Florida ports have already received. In his budget outline, DeSantis requested $117 million for port improvements, and the House and Senate appear ready to top that their preliminary plans include nearly $136 million for ports. In a year where Florida has plenty of money to spend including the one-time deluge of cash from Washington these investments in the states economic future make sense. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Jennifer A. Marcial Ocasio, Jay Reddick and Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com. Visitors may not feel safe if anti-LGBTQ bills pass Last October, about 200,000 visitors attended the annual Come Out With Pride festival and parade, cementing the event as one of the largest Pride gatherings in the Southeast while also bringing an estimated $26 million economic impact to our region. Orlando is also a leading candidate to host WorldPride in 2026, a two-week event that could bring millions of people (and dollars). One major factor that bid voters will judge us on is safety will gay, lesbian and trans visitors feel comfortable here if Florida passes any of the nearly dozen anti-LGBTQ bills currently under consideration? Advertisement The License to Discriminate in Healthcare bill (HB 747/SB 1820) could allow medical services or insurance to be denied simply on the basis of religious or moral beliefs. The Stop WOKE Act (HB 7/SB 148) is legalized censorship so broad it will yield lawsuits stemming from civil-rights education to sexual-harassment training if participants feel offended. The Dont Say Gay bill (HB 1557/SB 1834) could prevent Florida schools from supporting LGBTQ youth, drastically increasing the risk of bullying and suicide. This legislation could discourage students from considering colleges in Florida. LGBTQ+ families relocating will choose safer communities elsewhere. Businesses and Fortune 500 companies seeking to uphold their commitments to workplace equality will opt to move offices and headquarters to states that wont encourage discriminatory and costly lawsuits. Advertisement These bills wont just punish LGBTQ+ individuals, ultimately they stand to jeopardize our states entire economy and must be rejected. Jeff Prystajko Orlando Jeff Prystajko is the board president of Come Out With Pride Orlando. Failed free-tuition provision wont be missed I am sorry to hear that first lady Jill Biden is frustrated over the failure of Congress to pass legislation providing free community-college tuition. My experience in this life tells me that nothing is free. If this legislation does eventually pass, does it mean that I will be reimbursed for the payments I made for my sons college? Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > College tuition is not something that just happened, it has been a fact of life for years and people have had to deal with it. I always wonder how many students go to college out of social pressure when a trade school would serve them better. Will someone please give Jill Biden a crying towel so we can move on to the real problems that face this nation? Charles Munsey Jr. Port St. John Was it really normal political discourse? The Republican National Committee has recognized Jan. 6, 2021, as normal political discourse instead of a violent political insurrection in an attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election. We all watched on television with our own eyes what happened, and the Jan. 6 committee is finding out that the attempt to overturn the election went all the way to the former defeated president. Every Republican elected official in this country needs to be asked every day whether they believe that Jan. 6 was normal political discourse and whether they agree with former vice president Mike Pence, who said last week that President Trump was wrong about his ability to overturn the election. Advertisement Our Florida elected officials, namely Gov. Ron DeSantis, wont answer the question. Marco Rubio twists himself into a pretzel while not answering, and Rick Scott has been silent. Every Florida and national Republican officeholder needs to answer those questions, so the voters know whether they are on the side of democracy or insurrectionists. Paul Beals Oviedo Library celebrates literary freedom I logged onto the Orange County Library website to check out an e-book. I was pleased to see an entire section where they are promoting banned books. Many of these books were ones that I read as a student of Orange County Public Schools books like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Of Mice and Men and others. Parents and community members are flooding school board meetings trying to censor new books they disagree with. They say, I dont want my child to read this book, so no one should have access. Advertisement The unsaid thought is, My family values are so shallow and unstable that if my child learns of any other values related to crime, sex, or derogatory language, they will adopt those instead. "1984" is considered by many to be the most-banned book in the English language. (Amazon.com) Thank you, Orange County Library System, for rising above these literary bullies. Thank you for providing access to the books and allowing people to make their own decisions about what to read. Thank you for promoting books that honor the diversity of thought that one would expect in a community as large and diverse as Orange County. Advertisement Karen Climer Orlando Democrats push anti-business lockdowns For the past two years, Democrats and the far left media have demanded Americans shut down businesses and remain in rigid lockdowns, falsely claiming that surrendering basic freedoms was necessary to stop the spread of COVID. Now, a working paper co-authored by an economist from Johns Hopkins University claims that lockdowns had very little impact; reducing deaths from COVID by only 0.2% in the U.S. and Europe. The same study concluded lockdowns had devastating effects on businesses, the economy and many other social norms. Political Pulse Weekly Get latest updates political news from Central Florida and across the state. > Elected Democrats, including Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, have abused their power by shutting down businesses. They should be thrown out of office with the force of a category 5 hurricane. To liberals, COVID has has been an opportunity to expand their powers far beyond what is constitutionally legal in order to exercise control over citizens while eliminating the civil liberties of Americans. In contrast we have Gov. Ron DeSantis, an uncommon leader, who refused to allow ruthless bullies in the media intimidate him into adopting destructive policies based on left wing politics rather than science. This study proves that Gov. DeSantis has been correct in opposing tyrannical and ineffective government mandates. Democrats have destroyed the livelihood of millions of Americans, inflicting irreparable harm upon them and destroying businesses forever. In November, I hope voters will put Democrats on permanent lockdown and prohibit them from ever regaining a majority in Congress. Jimmy Conner Tavares We saw what happened on Jan. 6 Normally I try to remain outside the ever increasing vitriolic outbursts common to all politics today. However when I am supposed to accept the events of Jan. 6, 2021 as legitimate political discourse, I know we are now capable of denying realities we witnessed as they occurred on that terrifying day. No spin, no partisan slant just the televised events as they depicted an ugly, vicious mob bent on destruction of everything America represents. Advertisement I congratulate U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger for having the courage to stand against the Party of Trump. I would refer all those who buy this nonsense to Websters Dictionary, which defines discourse as a formal and orderly extended expression of thought on a subject. It does not include in their definition the beating of police, the destruction of government property or the hunting of Congressional prey. Patricia Balke Merritt Island SpaceX said up to 40 of the 49 Starlink internet satellites launched last week from Kennedy Space Center will burn up in Earths atmosphere after fallout from a geomagnetic storm. In an update on the companys website Tuesday, it said the satellites were deployed after their Feb. 3 launch at a lower altitude for system checkouts to ensure everything was working as expected before being moved into eventual higher altitude orbit for operational use. The practice allows SpaceX to safely take any Starlink satellites not working properly out of orbit. Advertisement The company said a geomagnetic storm that causes the atmosphere to warm and atmospheric density to increase ended up causing drag on the batch of satellites up to 50% more than previous Starlink deployments. Despite efforts to basically duck and cover from the storm, the majority of the deployment was unable to raise orbits, and several of the satellites have already re-entered Earths atmosphere and burned up. The deorbiting satellites pose zero collision risk with other satellites and by design demise upon atmospheric re-entry meaning no orbital debris is created and no satellite parts hit the ground, reads the update. Advertisement The company said the situation demonstrates its efforts to deal with the increasing threat of having more hardware orbiting the Earth. The number of orbiting satellites from SpaceX and other companies have come under more scrutiny in the last year. In December, the Chinese government complained to the U.S. about two incidents in 2021 in which they said the SpaceX satellites nearly struck its Tiangong space station, forcing it to take evasive maneuvers to prevent a potential collision, according to The Associated Press. The SpaceX mission was the 21st Starlink flight overall since the first test versions of the 570-pound satellites were sent up in 2018. The company currently has approval to place 4,408 Starlinks into service, each of which orbit at around 341 miles altitude. It has launched nearly 2,100, but more than 200 of those never became or are no longer operational. Elon Musk tweeted on Jan. 15 that it had 1,469 active satellites with another 272 moving into operation orbits. Since then the company had launched two more Starlink missions carrying up 49 each. The Starlink program at full capacity looks to provide the company billions of dollars from millions of Internet subscribers across the planet and help pay for SpaceXs missions to Mars. Go For Launch - Space News Weekly Fix your telescope on all space-related news, from rocket launches to space-industry advancements. > SpaceX is seeking Federal Communications Commission approval to increase its Starlink presence to about 30,000 with future launches on board its in-the-works Starship rocket. Other companies such as Amazon are also planning constellations of satellites that will increase the potential for debris in space. The Union of Concerned Scientists maintain a database of the number of operational satellites in orbit. As of Sept. 1, 2021, there were 4,550 in orbit, including 3,790 in low Earth orbit. Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) must ensure civilian protection in the wake of recent deadly raids on camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday Photo taken on July 21, 2019 from Xiangshan Mountain shows the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, China's Taiwan. [Photo/Xinhua] Whenever, and wherever, the United States vows to bring peace, stability and progress, people are always wary as that invariably results in just the opposite. Likewise when it holds aloft the banner of human rights to preach freedom and democracy, as that often foreshadows the above. So it should be of concern to the region and the world that after the US State Department approved a $100 million sale of the Patriot missile system and services to Taiwan on Monday, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency claimed that the deal would "assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, and economic progress in the region". In saying that helping to defend Taiwan is to defend "democracy", the US is engaging in some classic misdirection while it employs some sleight of hand to put more pressure on Beijing. The adulatory "highly-welcome" response of the Democratic Progressive Party to the US' approval of the deal belies the bravado with which it has dismissed the Chinese mainland's warnings of the consequences should it recklessly persist with its present course of action, as it serves instead to expose its fears of losing the US' favor. A "military balance" across the Taiwan Straits, the objective the US has disingenuously proposed to justify its arms sale to the island this time, has never been attained, and will never be realized. Emboldening the island's secessionist-inclined ruling party with munitioned false confidence will only make Taiwan a potential powder keg on which foolhardy daredevils are playing with matches. The US' Taiwan Relations Act does not qualify as a legal basis for such arms deals and other US moves, open and clandestine, to support the island's secessionists, as China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again reminded Washington. The sales of weapons by the US to Taiwan severely violate the one-China principle and its pledged commitments in the three joint communiques which are the bedrock documents for its diplomatic relations with China. Feb 27 marks the 50th anniversary of The Shanghai Communique, the first of the three historic joint statements. Over the past half century, relations have experienced ups and downs but the general momentum has been upward till recently, to the benefit of both. It is a human tendency to attribute to another the cause of troubles that are the result of one's own mistakes and failings. And this is the trap that the US has fallen into now, blaming China for a relative decline in its abilities that is the result of its own complacency and neglect. Instead of trying to use Taiwan as a pawn in its maximum pressure campaign against Beijing, Washington should reexamine its attitudes based on what it said in that first communique. Particularly, its recognition that "Peace in Asia and peace in the world requires efforts both to reduce immediate tensions and to eliminate the basic causes of conflict". It is Washington's collusion with the secessionist-minded DPP which incidentally dictates to the more than 20 million residents on the island that they have no choice but to participate in its strategy to contain China that is the immediate cause of tensions. The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With Valentine's Day coming up, do you think the ECU community and the City of Greenville is doing all they can to make people feel loved and supported? Survey If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Starkville, MS (39762) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. HAVANA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The 13th International Congress on Higher Education began on Monday at Havana's Convention Center, under the theme of "University and Innovation for a Sustainable and Inclusive Development." Addressing the audience, Cuban Higher Education Minister Jose Ramon Saborido said that the congress "is clear evidence of the importance of higher education and its development for our peoples and nations." Chinese Ambassador to Cuba Ma Hui attended the opening session. He told Xinhua after the ceremony that China and Cuba will continue enhancing collaboration in the field of higher education. "The two countries can benefit from exchanges and cooperation in higher education, including the exchange of students, which is important to promoting not only knowledge but also understanding between the peoples," he said. Organized by the Cuban Ministry of Higher Education, the congress has been held biennially since 1998. This year's event is held in-person and online through Friday. Starkville, MS (39762) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Bollywood actor Sonu Sood saved the life of a 19-year-old boy after the latter was involved in a serious road accident on Monday in Moga, Punjab. The accident took place at a flyover where Sonu was passing through. The actor, upon seeing the state of the crashed car, stepped out and rescued the boy, who was in an unconscious condition. What made the matter tricky was that the car had a central lock. Hence, it took some time to get the victim out of the car but soon he was rushed to the nearest hospital. The boy received timely medical treatment at the hospital and is now doing fine. Earlier too, Sonu worked to help the country fight Covid-19 during the hellfire of the second wave of the pandemic. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has used the 'Statue of Equality' as ammunition for his latest salvo against the Prime Minister and his 'New India' and 'Atma Nirbhar' slogans. The Prime Minister had on Saturday dedicated to the nation the 216 foot tall statue of Swami Ramanujacharya at Hyderabad. Drawing attention to the giant statue manufactured in China and assembled in Hyderabad, Rahul tweeted, "Statue of Equality is Made in China. 'New India' is China-nirbhar?" According to sources, a China-based company had been issued the contract in 2015 for manufacturing the five-metal alloy statue. After completion of the production phase in China, it shipped in 1600 components which were assembled over a year and a half at the venue on Hyderabad outskirts. The giant statue of the medieval saint and social reformer has been inaugurated as part of the 1000th birth anniversary celebrations of Ramanujacharya, by Hindu seer Chinna Jeeyar Swami. The statue is considered as the world's second-largest statue in sitting position. "This is a fit case for inquiry by the Chief Justice. The bench of the Chief Justice has the authority to form an extended bench to hear the case. "This matter needs urgent hearing, submit complaints and documents to the bench of Chief Justice," Justice Krishna S. Dixit said. The decision on interim order regarding uniform and wearing of hijab shall also be taken by the Chief Justice, he added. "There are questions related to the Constitution, there are aspects related to personal laws. Half a dozen court verdicts have been discussed. I have verified more than 12 orders in this regard. There are arguments and counter-arguments related to the case. Let the Chief Justice decide on handing over the matter to an extended bench," Justice Dixit said. Soon after the hearing resumed, the bench told the petitioners that if they agree, the matter would be handed over to the extended bench. "I have verified the documents submitted regarding the case. There is a necessity to hand over the case to an extended bench." However, counsel for the students requested the bench to give interim order as only two months are left for this academic year. They sought an order on Wednesday only so that students could go to colleges. Advocate General Prabhuling Navadagi, appearing for the government, submitted that everyone is looking forward to the court's ruling. He also prayed against an interim order as it would amount to acceptance of the petition submitted. Stating that he appreciates the sensitivity of the court, he contended that every institution has autonomy and it is the duty of the students to come in uniform. "Wearing of hijab is not a fundamental religious practice of Islam. Other court benches have clarified this. While many nations have banned wearing of hijab in public places, several colleges in the country have banned hijab on the premises," he said. The students have questioned the decision of the government. The government has provided power to the college authorities to take decisions, the government counsel submitted. A court in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg on Wednesday granted bail to Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rane, the son of Union Minister Narayan Rane in an attempt to murder case. The development came after he spent two days in police custody following his surrender and arrest on February 2, and later getting sent to judicial custody for 14 days. Rane is a legislator from Kankavli, his hometown and the family political bastion in the coastal Sindhudurg district. He - along with 7 other accused - was wanted and later gave himself up to the police in connection with a complaint by Shiv Sena activist Santosh Parab, accusing them of a murderous attempt on him on December 18. Soon after the police case was lodged, Nitesh Rane was questioned by the police, later he moved various courts, got protection against arrest but failed to get any relief on the bail plea and was compelled to surrender. While in judicial custody, he complained of certain health issues and was admitted to the Rajarshee Chhatrapati Shahu Maharashtra Government Medical College & CPR Hospital in Kolhapur. The bail order of the court was greeted with cheers and celebrations by the Rane supporters in Kankavli and other parts of Sindhudurg this afternoon. Speaking about the ongoing hijab row in India, Nobel laureate and education rights activist Malala Yousafzai has said that the "objectification of women -- for wearing less or more -- persists", Geo News reported. Taking to Twitter, Malala talked about the hijab controversy raging in India's state Karnataka where Muslim students wearing the hijab are being barred from entering college premises. Malala said: "Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying." The activist spoke against the decision and urged the Indian leaders to stop the "marginalisation of Muslim women". "College is forcing us to choose between studies and the hijab. Refusing to let girls go to school in their hijabs is horrifying. Objectification of women persists - for wearing less or more. Indian leaders must stop the marginalisation of Muslim women," Malala said in a tweet. Renewable energy has made Gautam Adani Asia's richest person Indian coal tycoon Gautam Adani has dethroned the chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani, to become Asias richest man. The chairman and founder of the Adani Group now has a net worth of $88.5 billion, and is now among the worlds 10 richest billionaires in the world, according to Bloomberg Billionaire Index. Hes the only industrialist in that list, which is dominated by tech entrepreneurs. The Adani Groups business include coal production, thermal power generation, and infrastructure. It is Indias largest private port operator and is expanding its airports business. Adanis added wealth is due to his investment spree in the renewable energy sector. Since the onset of the pandemic, Adani has been witnessing a steady rise in his net worth, which has doubled compared with this time last year. This year alone, his wealth has grown by $12 billion, according to the Bloomberg index. Earlier this month on Feb. 4, Adani overtook Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg after the social media billionaire experienced a loss of $29 billion in net worth after the US companys stock witnessed a record decline in the wake of its earnings report, eroding over $200 billion of value. Gautam Adani's green energy push The 59-year-old commodities billionaire has made headlines to his controversial Carmichael coal mine project in Australia, the focus of sustained climate activism in the country. But in recent years, Adani has also made a major expansion into the green energy space. In October last year, Adani Green Energys completed its acquisition of Soft Banks SB Energy at $3.5 billion. The deal was termed one of the largest in Indias renewable sector. The green energy unit's share price has surged 80% in the past year, giving it a market cap of about $40 billion as of Feb. 8. In December 2021, Adani Green Energy signed an agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India to supply it 4,667 MW of power. Adani also plans to invest $70 billion in the next decade across the new energy sector with the aim of becoming the worlds largest renewable energy producer in the next decadea sector in which he'll face intense competition from rival billionaire Ambani's Reliance Industries. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838815dc8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8388168f0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838815dc8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8388168f0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e83885e430)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8388168f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e8388168f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a57f8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838862180)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e838862180)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838444368)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f562f0)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838444368)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f562f0)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e838444d10)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f562f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838f562f0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a5618)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e832daef00)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e832daef00)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Woodville, AL (35768) Today Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening will give way to mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e82d68a160)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a6858)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e82d68a160)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a6858)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e83841e668)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a6858)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a6858)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a5c60)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e82cfeba78)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e82cfeba78)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8387d0d70)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838841480)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8387d0d70)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838841480)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x55e8387d64c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838841480)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e838841480)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x55e82d5a5960)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e83889b350)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x55e83889b350)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Monroes city court to add rehabilitation path MONROE This spring, the citys municipal court will be establishing a therapeutic, intervention-based community court program. Community courts offer low-level, nonviolent criminals with substance use disorders or other behavioral health a pathway into treatment as a condition of probation. Qualified defendants are given the option to join a rehabilitation program at their arraignment hearing. Monroe Municipal Court Judge Jessica Ness said the community court would give offenders a quicker resolution compared to criminal court, connect individuals to needed resources and by doing so, reduce the crime rate and save taxpayers money. Judge Jessica Ness Monroes community court plans to launch April 1. Ness said the start date could be sooner than that, depending on how quickly they can organize. She said the community court is a collaborative effort between the courts, Monroe Police Department, prosecutors, public defenders and social workers to reduce crime and hold offenders accountable with compassion for the individuals situation. Cmdr. Paul Ryan of the Monroe Police Department said the police department is optimistic this model will assist individuals experiencing significant life struggles. We look forward to partnering with the community court, Ryan said in an interview. Our community outreach officer and assigned social worker have experienced good working relationships with the court, prosecutor and public defender, and our work with the community court will be a continuation of those efforts. A therapeutic court targets the reason for the non-violent crime with treatment and social services, unlike a traditional criminal court system that responds to all crimes with punitive action, Ness explained. Ness can only mandate substance use disorder treatment as a condition of probation; she has no authority before the trial to order treatment or require cooperation with a social worker. The court cannot order treatment or any condition that is related to crime until after the case is resolved or as part of probation conditions. A community court also has the authority to order a person to enroll for state health insurance or housing assistance, obtain state identification or work towards a GED. The program consists of finding the persons social service needs, such as substance addiction treatment, housing, a GED, state health insurance or food assistance. A defendant must be diverted to services at least twice before being tried through the regular criminal court system. Upon successful completion of the community court program, the charges will be dropped. Ness said the resolution time through community court takes three to 12 months compared to one to two years through a criminal court. There are regular check-ins between community court participants and a court team which includes administrators and a counselor. Treatment plans and other conditions will be reviewed at periodic, judicially supervised status hearings. If the offender fails to complete the Community court program, they return to the traditional criminal track. The case is continued for three, six, nine or 12 months while the person is receiving social services through the courts resource center. In December, the City Council approved receiving a state grant to establish the community court. We all grapple with what is the right way to go at the homelessness crisis. I think this is the right approach to tackle it, City Council member Jason Gamble said at the council meeting. Ive often personally said; I think its inhumane that we have people who are on the streets that are suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, and theyre not in rehab. Monroe Police Chief Jeff Jolley told the council that the court also dovetails well with our concept of problem-oriented policing and drilling down even more so to deal with offenders to get to the core issues, the root of the problem and try to remedy those kinds of things which often are a result of mental illness, drug use or homelessness and actually try to resolve those issues and direct them to resources. The $158,779 grant from the state Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) covers the costs of the community court for its first two years, city administrator Deborah Knight said. The city will work to budget years three and four. Ness said this AOC grant is the first time a grant has been awarded to a local level court for a therapeutic court. The grants are usually awarded to higher-level courts, Ness said. A community court in Monroe also makes it a rarity among municipal courts serving communities of less than 25,00 people. In a 10-year study on drug court results, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) tracked data from 6,500 offenders in the Multnomah County Drug Court from 1991 to 2001 from a pre-plea drug court in Portland, Oregon. Their research found that the participants had fewer re-arrests than similar drug offenders within the same county over a five-year period. The study also found recidivism reduction ranged from 17% to 26% due to assigned judges and changes to therapeutic court programs over time. In a two-year follow-up study in Kansas City, Missouri and Pensacola, Florida, NIJ researchers found felony re-arrest rates decreased from 40% to 12% after a therapeutic court was established. The NIJs findings also back Nesss statement of saving taxpayers money. The study found the cost of processing an individual through Community courts was $1,392 less per defendant than a criminal court and averaged a public savings of $67,44 per participant. The funding for therapeutic courts is built into whats known as the Blake decision from the state Supreme Court. Currently, drug possession charges are reduced to misdemeanors rather than felonies until July 1, 2023 and, unless the law is changed between now and then, will be fully decriminalized after that date. Possession of drug paraphernalia has been decriminalized with no sunset clause in place. In 2016, Shannon Blake of Spokane was arrested for drug possession. Blake said she was unaware of the small packet of crystal methamphetamine in the coin pocket of a pair of thrift store jeans she received from a friend. She appealed the case. In 2021, a state Supreme Court majority determined the states drug crime law was unconstitutional because it does not provide an exception for defendants who unknowingly possess drugs. Check out our online publications! Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Pakistan has always been advocating and pleading a single-line agenda that the peace and prosperity of the country is directly linked with the political and economic stability of Afghanistan by Ali Sukhanver Though rampant and haphazard butthings have been continuously passing through a process of change for the last many weeks, specifically with reference to the terrorist activities in Pakistan. The terrorists seem trying to open a new front against the security forces of Pakistan. The time chosen for this heinous activity seems connected with Prime Minister Imran Khans visit to China. Till now, more than twenty soldiers and officers of Pakistan Army have sacrificed their lives in fighting against the terrorists; more than 45 terrorists have been killed.On 20thJanuary 2022, a bomb blast took lives of three innocent citizens and left twenty injuredin Lahore.Reports say that a 1.5 kilogram improvised explosive device was fixed in a motorcycle parked outside a bank in Anarkali area. The bomb exploded when the place was thronged with hundreds of people. Though someone claiming to be the spokespersonof the Baloch Nationalist Army, claimed responsibility for that cowardly attack but at the same time it was strongly condemned by two other Baloch leader Mehran Marri and Brahumdagh Bugti. Moreover the countries like United Arab Emirates, Iran, Turkey, United States and Bahrain also expressed their concerns on the incident but Pakistans nearest and closest neighbor India throughout remained in a state of silence just like a deep pool of stagnant water. In a recent statement, thePakistani Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid told the mediathat since 15th August 2021 the terrorist attacks have increased about 35 to 38 percent.15th August 2021 was the day when the Taliban came into rule in Afghanistan. The Interior Minister expressed his apprehensions that it all is the result of merger of some smaller terrorist groups already active in Afghanistan; certainly Indian Intelligence Agencies are behind this rise in terrorist activities in Pakistan. Before that the nefarious activities of these groups were hindered, hurdled rather obstructed by the US led foreign forces working in Afghanistan.After US action of saying good-bye to Afghan lands, the Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and other terrorist organizations got a free hand to misuse these groups against Pakistan. Certainly the situation would soon come under control and things would be normalized but the question of interference from the neighboring countries like India and Afghanistan would remain a blob of shame and dishonor on their faces. Pakistan has always been advocating and pleading a single-line agenda that the peace and prosperity of the country is directly linked with the political and economic stability of Afghanistan; and that is the basic reason that Pakistan has always tried its best to help out Afghanistan in every time of need. Presence of millions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan for more than three decades is the most evident proof of Pakistans sincerity to Afghanistan. It is also a fact that most of the past Afghan governments had a very clear-cut inclination towards India and almost all the past rulers there had been trying to blame and by-pass Pakistan in all political matters just to please India but at the same time it is also a fact that the people of Afghanistan always find Pakistan very close to their hearts. Certainly the planners sitting in India knew very well that this inclination of Afghan people towards Pakistan was harmful and injurious to their dreams and desires. That is why they spent a lot of their resources on supporting and patronizing all those groups of miscreants which rank terrorist activities as their profession. Even after Talibans coming into power and taking charge of the government, those groups are still actively striving for their bread and butter. Though the Taliban government is doing all possible to bring those groups back to the main national-stream but things would take time as Indian support to those groups is causing a lot of hindrance to the desired process. Media reports have so many times indicated that Indian agents in Afghanistan are not happy with the present Taliban regime as it was totally unexpected for them. They arestill in contact with the handful of miscreants and busy in planning to bring some challenging or threatening disaster for the Taliban whom they blame of being Pro-Pakistan. On the other hand the Taliban also have some internal type of issues which do not let them work freely. I remember the response of Nirmala, a reader of my write ups from Sri Lanka. She said commenting upon my articleAfghanistan-New Match and New Team, The present Taliban leaders in Afghanistan are reluctant to absorb the modern life and culture to administer the country because some of their followers will rebel against the present leaders which will be a culture shock. For an everlasting peace in Afghanistan they will have to be very much harsh on the miscreants involved in terrorist activities but it will take time; may take decades. The terrorists attacking Pakistans security forces are not fatherless children, they are not misguided-missiles; they have their mentors, their facilitators, their patrons, their god-fathers. For a long lasting peace in Afghanistan and in Pakistan, the international care-takers of peace will have to do something to chain down these god-fathers. It is also a notable point that the victory of Taliban would never be digestible to the countries like India. Such countries would do all their best to distort the dreamed of peaceful and prosperous face of Afghanistan. If a check is not put on such countries, situation in Afghanistan may get worsen soon. The hazardous impacts of terrorism never remain limited to some specific or particular area. Terrorism is always like a pandemic, always mysteriously boundless and superstitiously fathomless. With reference to the new wave of terrorism in Pakistan, some analysts are pointing their fingers towards Iran too but that suspicion seems illogical and baseless as Iran and Pakistan have never been involved in any type of conflicting issues. However most of the people in Pakistan are convinced that growing Pak-China relations could be a reason of heart-burning of those who feel this closeness as a threat to their existence. A few traditional ceremonies have an old-world charm associated with them. Its not advisable to tinker with these for enhanced visual appeal by Ashok K Mehta Nobody will deny that the 1,000 drones-empowered son et lumiere was a resounding spectacle to showcase the nations atma nirbharta programmes and technological triumphs. But its timing, coupling it with Beating Retreat, was terribly wrong and a breach of yet another military tradition. After the buglers had sounded the retreat and the Tricolour brought down at sunset, it was time for the customary ceremony to conclude with the massed bands marching back over the hump fading into the skyline of Rashtrapati Bhavan followed by the Presidents cavalcade. Surprisingly, instead of North and South Blocks being illuminated thereafter as had been the practice since 1950, a scintillating drone show followed that lasted much longer than the 10 minutes advertised. No one will deny that its visual richness was stunning but darkness had set in, exposing the President, Prime Minister and other VIPs to risk. Beating Retreat got overshadowed, not complemented, by the ill-timed show and a legacy tradition violated. No one has ventured to point out that once the Retreat is played, its time to shut shop for tomorrow, which will be heralded by sounding another bugle call: Reveille. Beating Retreat is an English tradition signalling the end of combat for the day, bringing down the ensign, muzzling guns, putting swords back into sheaths and scabbards on bayonets. It was also used to call back patrols to the castles and, in the case of the Dutch, to stop serving beer. In Indian military units throughout the country, when Retreat is sounded at sunset, soldiers outside their barracks spring to attention, cease working and return to quarters. A soldiers day begins with reveille at sunrise with various bugle calls during the day signalling different events marking the soldiers routine. For 70 years, Beating Retreat marked the sombre end to Republic Day celebrations. It was never followed by another event; in this case, a drone show-cum-projection mapping, which was a breach of tradition. Instead of a 15-minute truncated sound-and-light show at the end of Beating Retreat, a longer and more comprehensive drone display can be organised at the same venue next day. If coupling the visual spectacle with Beating Retreat passes away as Indianising the event, I have nothing to say. But for diehard veterans, it was an erosion of a traditional military custom symbolised by the flag, bugles and dusk announcing its end. In the past, the organisers have tampered with songs and music in order to Indianise the ceremony. The Pipes and Drums bands are essentially tuned for Scottish musical scores and dont adapt easily to foreign renditions. Yet, Indian military maestros have succeeded in adapting them, especially to hill songs from the Himalayan region. The highly exaggerated swaying of bagpipers has gone a sway too far and requires the swagger to be moderated. The brass band is more amenable to playing Indian tunes but regrettably very few Indian marching tunes (except for Kadam kadam badhaye ja; Saare jahaan se achcha and Jai Bharati) are recognisable. The first and second tunes herald the arrival and departure of the bands over the hump. Our bands have excelled with displays by trumpets, drums and bugles and shown their rich repertoire. Once tablas and another time the sarod were attempted to synergise with marching music but they proved a big failure of fusion. The last Beating Retreat consisted for the first time of all 26 marching tunes being Indian though, except for two, none other was familiar. Doordarshan neither mentioned the name of songs nor displayed them on the scroll. The interminable debate over dropping the last foreign composition, Mahatma Gandhis favourite hymn Abide with me, for Mere watan ke logon was necessary. The choice of the replacement song, no matter how moving, harks back to the humiliating defeat of 1962. Instead, Vaishnav jana to tene kahiye, another Mahatma Gandhi favourite, could have been chosen to eternalise Bapus memory who is the leit motif of commemorations. The bands performed to perfection though the new Indian tunes will take time to become familiar. A first and aptly demonstrating jointness was the Navy, not the senior service Army, bringing down the Tricolor and wrapping it up. Next time, this ceremony can be done by a tri-service honour guard signifying the integration underway of the armed forces. TV channels must be forbidden from giving ball-by-ball commentary by military experts and their anchors stopped from competing with each other to show off their military vocabulary. This jarring intervention has gone on for too long. Doordarshan should orchestrate the Republic Day celebrations with competent professionals. The MoD should call up senior veterans as advisors for the military component of the celebrations. They could have forged a consensus over fusion of martyrs flames, suitable national hero for the canopy and choice of gutsy marching music. Remember, Beating Retreat ceremony is essentially a musical tribute to Indias martyrs. In 2003, the Delhi Government brought together Amjad Ali Khan and Ustad Bismillah Khan (Bharat Ratna) to remember the Unknown Soldier as part of Republic Day celebrations at a separate event. Indianising military traditions is a delicate process; handle with care. (The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff. The views expressed are personal.) India's statement demonstrates the boastfulness that suits the one which wants to become a regional power, which is one of India's main goals. by Benedict B. George India has communicated to the independent power producers of Nepal that they wont purchase electricity from hydropower projects that have Chinese components. India opened its doors to purchase Nepal's power in November 2021. This is a significant milestone for Nepal since it is the first time the Himalayan country has exported hydropower. India's refusal to acquire electricity from any project with Chinese involvement demonstrates India's re-establishment as a regional force. Under the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX), Nepal have exported 39 MW of power to India. During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Nepal in 2014, the India-Nepal Power Trade Agreement was inked. Nepal is India's first neighbor to join in the IEX. The selling of energy to India fulfills a long-held Nepalese aim of exporting hydroelectricity for national wealth. This is a significant improvement for Nepal's energy industry, which had once imported more than half of its electricity from India at peak demand in 2019. Utilizing the natures gift and neighbours need: Nepal's ambition has always been to be Asia's powerhouse. On the other hand, it was in the dark for more than a decade, from 2006 to mid-2017, with blackouts lasting up to 18 hours a day. It is a small country with rugged terrain, little resources, and few industries. Nature, contrariwise, has bestowed an incredible gift on the country: river systems. Many rivers flow from Nepal to India, including the Karnali, Mahakali, Gandaki, Koshi, and southern rivers. This gift gives Nepal an effective advantage to produce electricity in a cleaner and more environ-friendly way and providing the power in the region. This contribution provides Nepal with an efficient edge in producing electricity in a cleaner and more environmentally responsible manner, as well as supplying power to the region. However, their limited economy has hampered their ability to realize this objective. India seized the opportunity and increased its investment in the area. The power produced by these installations was subsequently exported to India. After an Indian-invested plant began full-scale operation in August 2021, Nepal became a power surplus country. Nepal will be permitted to export power to Bangladesh via India at a later time in order to fulfill the expanding demands of that country's domestic economy. The selling of energy to India fulfills a long-held Nepali aim of exporting hydroelectricity for national wealth. This is a significant improvement for Nepal's energy industry, which received more than half of its electricity demand from India at peak demand in 2019. Environmentalists see this as a positive step for both Nepal and India since it might help to reduce carbon emissions. India has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2070. It will not be able to meet this aim unless it replaces coal, which is primarily used for electrical generation in India, with renewable energy. Meanwhile, the price of coal in India has risen, and the economy is regaining speed following the pandemic-related slowdown. This has raised the need for energy in India. The quantity of electricity now exported from Nepal may be minimal, but it has the potential to expand to double-digit gigawatts in the long run. Chinesealliance and Indias resistance: With the approval of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN) in June of last year, the way was cleared for a China-Nepal joint venture to build three distinct hydropower projects on the Marsyangdi river in western Manang and Lamjung districts at the same time. This may not have gone over well with India. Several private sector power developers claim to have received communications from the Indian side at various venues of discussion indicating that the Indian side is disinterested in acquiring electricity from projects with any Chinese participation. This is not an official correspondence, but officials from the Indian embassy and the Central Electricity Board have provided indications that corroborate the assertion. India's statement demonstrates the boastfulness that suits the one which wants to become a regional power, which is one of India's main goals. India is working to repair its sour relationship with its neighbours. India is keen to maintain connections with its neighbours who have fell prey to Chinese clout. India not only wanted Nepal's exclusivity but also collaborated with Myanmar's regime to build twin-track diplomacy and invested substantially in Sri Lanka, which had been caught in China's "debt trap" for quite some time. Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to India's statement, "Our relationship with India is our most important relationship, period," demonstrates that the country is warming up to India. Nepal will benefit from hydropower exports. However, it must tread carefully since it requires both Chinese capital and India's market (power export to Bangladesh will need Indian agreement). However, India has made it clear that, no matter how bad things are at home, it would not relinquish regional supremacy to China so readily. India will keep playing. Benedict George is a Ph.D fellow at the University of Texas, having a Master's degree in Strategic Studies. His area of interest is in Asian Foreign Politics. The three quarters-bred lambs were primarily by tups from fellow Calderdale sheep breeders Andrew Leach and Jon Midgley, with the 45kg victors heading the days per head and by-weight prices at 190 each, or 422.5p/kg, the 53kg reserve champions selling at 182, or 343.5p/kg, both claimed by show judge Anthony Swales, a regular buyer for Knavesmire Butchers in York. The Lunds dad Brian, son Richard and 16-year-old granddaughter Chrissie consigned 27 Beltex-cross lambs in total, their run averaging 162 per head, of 350.6p/kg. Mr Midgley, who runs his Upper Calder Valley Beltex flock at Dean House Farm, Luddendenfoot he stood supreme champion for the second year running at the annual Christmas prime lambs showcase last November himself finished third in the Continental show class, his 41kg lambs knocked down for 178, or 414.6p/kg, again to Knavesmire Butchers to make it a clean sweep of prize winners in the Continental show class. The Albermarle Road shop was again a multiple buyer, with a total haul of five pens comprising 17 lambs. Norton Disneys Steve Dorey again travelled north from Lincolnshire to stand both first and second in the Masham/Mule show class, his 39kg Mashams selling at 106 to Hartwiths Nick Dalby, the 43kg runners-up, North of England Mules, doing better at 109.50 when going to Kevin Marshall in Dacre. Mr Dorey also finished first in the Down-cross show class with 49kg Suffolks away at 126 to Felliscliffes Andrew Atkinson, who also bought every single prize winner in the hill and horned lamb show classes. Finishing first and second in the former with 48kg Cheviots pens at 125 and 123 per head were Tony and Kay Kiernan, of St Michaels, while Jimmy Greenwood, of Addingham, won the horned class with Lonks making 115. Over 3,000 prime hoggs were penned for sale, almost half of them scaling 46kg or more. With handyweights relatively scarce, all were a decent trade, especially well fed lightweights. Smart lambs of all weights generally sold very well, the handier 37-43kg weights seeing plenty of prices at 350-400p/kg, mediums 340-360p/kg and heavies 300-340p/kg, depending on quality. The overall selling average was 123.65 per head, or 271.6p/kg. Key Figures Group (CHF million) 2021 2020 in % CHF in % CER1 Net sales 11,106.3 10,742.2 3.4% 5.4% Core opeRating profit (EBIT)2 283.4 257.5 10.1% 12.5% Operating profit (EBIT) 284.6 257.5 10.5% 13.0% Profit after tax3 230.1 164.8 39.6% 43.1% Free Cash Flow 261.6 210.2 24.5% - RONOC (in %) 19.8 18.1 - - Dividend (in CHF) 2.054 1.95 5.1% - 1 Constant exchange rates (CER): 2021 figures converted at 2020 exchange rates 2 Excl. gain on sale to aCommerce (CHF 10.3 million) and non-recurring share of loss in associate (CHF -9.1 million). 3 Incl. revaluation gain of aCommerce (2021: CHF 34.8 million; 2020: CHF 9.6 million). Excl. these items, profit after tax grew by 25.1% to CHF 194.1 million 4 Proposal of the Board of Directors Zurich, Switzerland, February 9, 2022 - DKSH posted strong full-year 2021 results. Net sales grew by 5.4% at constant exchange rates and EBIT as well as Free Cash Flow increased double digit. Business Unit Performance Materials continued its growth track record and Business Unit Consumer Goods posted a strong EBIT increase for the third consecutive year. DKSH CEO Stefan P. Butz said: 'Given the challenging market environment and lockdowns seen in the third quarter, I am pleased with our 2021 results including double-digit EBIT growth and strong cash generation. We continued being the trusted partner for our stakeholders and reliably supplying essential products and services through and in response to the pandemic. In addition, we completed seven acquisitions and increased eCommerce sales double digit. While visibility on external factors remains limited, we are confident that we will continue building a better company with EBIT growth in 2022.' DKSH Group DKSH Group net sales grew by 3.4% to CHF 11.1 billion in 2021. Organic growth contributed the most with 4.6%, while acquisitions added 0.8% and exchange rates -2.0%. EBIT reached CHF 284.6 million, 10.5% higher than 2020. The EBIT margin reached 2.6% versus 2.4% in 2020. The EBIT includes a gain on sale to aCommerce (CHF 10.3 million) and a non-recurring share of loss in associate (CHF -9.1 million). Profit after tax was CHF 230.1 million from CHF 164.8 million in 2020. In 2021, profit after tax includes, on top of the one-time impacts mentioned above, a CHF 34.8 million revaluation gain in aCommerce. Free Cash Flow reached CHF 261.6 million compared to CHF 210.2 million in 2020, due to strong EBIT growth combined with working capital optimization. Business Unit Healthcare Business Unit Healthcare delivered results ahead of last year's levels with an acceleration of performance during the second half. Despite the impact of COVID-19 on the healthcare industry in Asia, the lockdowns seen in the third quarter, and the situation in Myanmar, DKSH expanded its outsourcing services as well as business development, and successfully closed the acquisitions of MedWorkz (Singapore) and Hahn Healthcare (Australia). Importantly, DKSH delivered vaccines and testing equipment in several markets in Asia. Healthcare (in CHF million) 2021 2020 in % CHF in % CER1 Net sales 5,586.3 5,424.1 3.0% 5.3% Operating profit (EBIT) 130.9 129.8 0.8% 5.2% 1 Constant exchange rates (CER): 2021 figures converted at 2020 exchange rates Business Unit Consumer Goods Business Unit Consumer Goods improved profitability strongly, with EBIT margins reaching the 2.2% mark again. The transformation of the Fast Moving Consumer Goods segment is well on track. EBIT increased double digit for the third consecutive year, benefitting from a leaner and more agile structure, the ongoing product portfolio rationalization, and consistent strategy execution across markets. The Swiss watch brand Maurice Lacroix further improved results. Consumer Goods (in CHF million) 2021 2020 in % CHF in % CER1 Net sales 3,808.3 3,827.6 (0.5%) 1.8% Operating profit (EBIT)2 84.0 64.6 30.0% 30.2% 1 Constant exchange rates (CER): 2021 figures converted at 2020 exchange rates 2 Includes gain on sale to aCommerce (CHF 10.3 million) and a non-recurring share of loss in associate (CHF -9.1 million) Business Unit Performance Materials Business Unit Performance Materials posted double-digit sales and EBIT growth. The strong technical expertise, value-added services, wide market coverage, and focus on digital marketing helped overcome supply chain constraints. The industrial business increased sharply and the life sciences business (Food & Beverage, Personal Care, and Pharmaceutical) performed well across key markets. In addition, DKSH closed the acquisitions of SACOA (Australia) and HTBA (Spain), as well as signed the acquisition of Right Base Chemicals (China), thereby taking further steps toward consolidating the specialty chemicals distribution industry in Asia Pacific and Europe. A scalable business model, strong business development, and consolidation potential provide future growth opportunities. Performance Materials (in CHF million) 2021 2020 in % CHF in % CER1 Net sales 1,281.4 1,108.0 15.6% 15.9% Operating profit (EBIT) 115.4 91.7 25.8% 27.3% 1 Constant exchange rates (CER): 2021 figures converted at 2020 exchange rates Business Unit Technology Business Unit Technology grew sales organically and through the Bosung acquisition in Korea. The EBIT of CHF 21.1 million was slightly behind last year as pandemic-related movement restrictions impacted the service business and resulted in product mix shifts. The Business Unit is on track with implementing its focus strategy and digital transformation. Technology (in CHF million) 2021 2020 in % CHF in % CER1 Net sales 430.3 382.5 12.5% 13.3% Operating profit (EBIT) 21.1 21.8 (3.2%) (2.8%) 1 Constant exchange rates (CER): 2021 figures converted at 2020 exchange rates Changes in the Board of Directors Dr. Frank Ch. Gulich, who joined the Board of Directors in 2001 (in a predecessor company), will not stand for reelection at the next Ordinary General Meeting to take place on March 17, 2022. The Board of Directors thanks Dr. Frank Ch. Gulich warmly for his longstanding and valuable contributions and wishes him all the best in his future endeavors. The Board of Directors will propose Dr. Hans Christoph Tanner, who is already a member of DKSH's Board of Directors, to join the Nomination and Compensation Committee. Outlook DKSH expects EBIT growth in 2022. The outlook assumes economic growth in Asia Pacific, exchange rates at current levels, and barring unforeseen events. A robust business model, large share of daily consumption items, and strong balance sheet provide resilience and offer growth opportunities. The Group will continue developing its business through diligent strategy implementation, digitalization, sustainability, and M&As, while focusing on operational excellence and cost discipline. DKSH is confident about Asia's long-term potential and is well-positioned to benefit from favorable market, industry, and consolidation trends. Further Information The media conference will take place today at 9:30 a.m. CET and the investor call at 11:30 a.m. CET. The Full-Year Report 2021 and recording of the investor webcast will be available on the DKSH website. Appendix: Net Sales Growth Components (in CHF million) 2021 2020 % CHF % Organic % M&A % FX DKSH Group 11,106.3 10,742.2 3.4% 4.6% 0.8% (2.0%) Healthcare 5,586.3 5,424.1 3.0% 5.0% 0.3% (2.3%) Consumer Goods 3,808.3 3,827.6 (0.5%) 1.6% 0.2% (2.3%) Performance Materials 1,281.4 1,108.0 15.6% 13.6% 2.3% (0.3%) Technology 430.3 382.5 12.5% 4.2% 9.1% (0.8%) For the full definition on DKSH's alternative performance measures, please check the 2021 Annual Report on page 50. Yet another residential high-rise is on the drawing boards for the neighborhood west of downtown Fort Lauderdales Brightline station, as developers seek to cash in on the future of the high speed railroad. The latest project is a 36-floor tower dubbed Station Village, which would contain 400 apartments ranging in size from 528 to 1,092 square feet, 500 parking spaces and nearly 4,800 square feet of retail space, according to the developers application to the city. Advertisement The staff of Fort Lauderdales Development Review Committee took the project under initial consideration at a meeting on Tuesday. The 1.12-acre development site at 199 NW 5th Ave. is now occupied by two warehouses and an office building, both of which would be leveled to make way for the high-rise. Advertisement The area west of the tracks, currently home to low-rise apartment complexes, a school, bank branches, gas stations, thrift shops and warehouses, is juxtaposed with nearby cultural institutions such as the Broward Performing Arts Center and the Museum of Discovery and Science. Several new skyscrapers, including the mammoth Broward Crossing project, developed by New York-based Kushner Cos., are in the planning stages on drawing boards. The Kushner project would bring 1,300 apartments plus offices and shops to the south side of the boulevard near the Brightline station and the coming joint city and county governmental campus. In keeping with a pattern that has emerged at other projects around the city, the Station Village would offer an amenity deck, this one at the 10th floor level. The highlights: a pool, fitness center, co-working space, clubhouse and grilling stations. [ RELATED: Sky-high stunner: Head-turning tower would be Fort Lauderdales tallest, and could change the character of downtown ] The developers are both from western New York State. Uniland Development Co., which maintains offices in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst as well as in Rochester, focuses on commercial redevelopment, and has built over 16 million square feet of commercial real estate, according to its website. A 36-floor residential tower is proposed by two New York State developers for a neighborhood west of the Brightline train station in Fort Lauderdale. The building would contain 400 apartments and 500 parking spaces. (aguzman/Dorsky Yue International / Unliand Development Co. (courtesy)) An amenity-rich city In a telephone interview Tuesday, Ryan Weisz, the companys senior marketing manager, said the developers were attracted to Fort Lauderdale by its transportation facilities and downtown attractions. From a bigger picture standpoint its about being an amenity-rich location, he said. Everything from the Brightline rail to [the fact that] youre 15 minutes at most from the airport and the beach. And obviously the New River and the Riverwalk. The citys growth surge is also a selling point. Advertisement From our standpoint there is a demand for multi-family residential, which is undeniable, he said. [ RELATED: South Floridas rent crisis: Some no longer can afford their longtime homes as rents rise by as much as 40% ] Weisz said he had no information on how much rent would be charged for tenants, and no timetable has been determined for a completion date. He said Uniland is focusing on the funding while Acquest Development, which is based in Williamsville, N.Y., will be working with general contractors. Acquest engages in property acquisitions, development, construction and management and counts government agencies and private sector companies as clients. Projects range from Class A offices, research laboratories and distribution centers in the U.S. to a resort on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico, according to its website. The company did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Florida reported 12,921 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday as the number patients of hospitalized with the virus has declined by more than 20% since last week, federal data shows. The number of patients in the hospital with COVID was 7,128 on Tuesday, down 21% over a week and the lowest number since Jan. 3, data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows. There were 1,108 COVID-infected patients in intensive care units on Tuesday, a decline of nearly 17% over the previous Tuesday. The hospital data combines patients admitted for COVID with those infected while hospitalized. Advertisement The 7-day average for new cases was 17,125 on Tuesday, the lowest daily case average since Dec. 22. The number of cases in the omicron surge has now fallen by nearly 73% from its peak on Jan. 11. The counts do not include people who conducted home tests. Testing positivity rates continue to decline in South Florida, with all three counties posting the lowest rates in the state. Miami-Dade and Broward counties on Tuesday saw rates below 15% for the first time since Dec. 22. Palm Beach County was at 16% positivity on Tuesday. Advertisement The average number of daily vaccine shots given in Florida was at 28,748 on Tuesday with 65.4% of Floridians fully vaccinated and 37.6% with their booster shots. To date, Florida has had 5,713,185 known cases of COVID-19 and at least 66,468 Floridians have died. Here are the latest key statistics: Fort Lauderdale Nearly 100 years ago, a coldhearted Fort Lauderdale crowd came to gawk at the body of lynching victim Rubin Stacy as he hung heavy from a tree. On Tuesday, a much different crowd gathered not far from that same sad spot near Davie Boulevard and Southwest 31 Avenue more than 70 of Stacys relatives along with prominent elected officials, community activists, teachers and students. Advertisement They came to remember Stacy and to condemn what happened that day on July 19, 1935 a brutal crime, witnessed by dozens if not hundreds, that brought no trial and no justice. Tuesdays crowd also came to witness the unveiling of the first of dozens of street signs that will carry Stacys name along a 2-mile stretch of Davie Boulevard. Advertisement As dozens of Stacys relatives looked on with a mixture of pride and sorrow, his great niece Sandra Blackmon-Lane pulled away a black cloth to reveal the sign underneath: Rubin Stacy Memorial Boulevard. The crowd, some in tears, erupted into jubilant cheers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Trenton Lewis, 11, of Lauderhill, sits on the shoulders of his older brother Malcolm Lewis, 18, to touch the sign memorializing his great-great uncle Rubin Stacy on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. The City of Fort Lauderdale unveiled a street sign renaming a section of Davie Boulevard memorialize the life of lynching victim Rubin Stacy while bringing attention to this injustice and awareness to the negative impacts of systemic racism. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) The sign unveiling ceremony, held at 1 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas High Schools Bienes Center for the Arts, drew more than 300 people. Mayor Dean Trantalis, one of several speakers, said the memorializing of Rubin Stacy was long overdue, but an important step in helping shine a light on the wrongs of the past. At the end of his speech, he looked out at the faces before him and told the family: Im sorry. I apologize on behalf of Fort Lauderdale for what happened to Rubin Stacy. A bittersweet day Earlier in the day, the city hosted a reunion lunch for the Stacy family at the nearby restaurant Las Calenitas. For many of his relatives, it was their first meeting. [ RELATED: A lynch mob killed a Black man in Fort Lauderdale in 1935. His name was Rubin Stacy. ] Deneen Pettis, of Tamarac, came with her 75-year-old mom, Eloise Pettis, of Hollywood. Advertisement Rubin Stacy was my mothers brother, Eloise Pettis said. My mother told me he was a smart young man who loved his family. He was a nice-looking man. Its a fine thing the city is doing to honor him. Its a blessing, but its sad at the same time. Lauderhill resident Anne Naves, seated, smiles Tuesday after Fort Lauderdale unveils a street named for her uncle, Rubin Stacy, who was lynched in 1935. Mayor Dean Trantalis, far right, and Commissioner Robert McKinzie, center, are part of the crowd surrounding Naves, who is 95. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) Three days before Stacy was lynched by a mob of white vigilantes, he stopped at a white womans home to ask for a glass of water. She claimed hed attacked her with a knife. Stacy, a native of southern Georgia, was around 28 years old when he was killed, his family says. As word spread of the killing, hundreds of smiling white folk, children included, gathered to gawk. Hanged while handcuffed, Stacy was shot 17 times. His body was left hanging for eight hours, blood dripping from his toes. Eyewitness accounts later revealed deputies organized the lynching. [ RELATED: Black man Rubin Stacy was lynched in Fort Lauderdale in 1935. Now street signs may bear his name. ] Anne Naves, Stacys niece, was eight years old at the time. Advertisement Naves, now 95, shared memories of her quiet but handsome uncle during Tuesdays ceremony. Something terrible happened He married her aunt. The couple and their toddler son lived with her family and grandparents in their four-bedroom bungalow on Northwest Second Street. Each day I remember my grandfather, father and uncle going out looking for work, she said. We were all living together. Things were very tough after the Depression. Then one day, things changed. My mothers beautiful laugh stopped, she said. My fathers teasing stopped. We knew something terrible happened. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis addresses a crowd Tuesday gathered to honor 1935 lynching victim Rubin Stacy. During his speech, the mayor offered a heartfelt apology to the family for what happened that day nearly 87 years ago. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel) It was only days later that Naves and her two sisters were told what happened to their uncle. Advertisement It was the most painful thing in my life, she told the Sun Sentinel. We didnt have a funeral. The body was just dumped at the funeral parlor and they were told to bury him. We never had a chance to have a funeral. Some compared Tuesdays ceremony to a funeral. A student sang the traditional funeral song Amazing Grace. The schools monsignor read a long prayer and family members were called up to speak. But to Anne Naves, Tuesdays ceremony was more like a chance for closure. We are finally getting the truth put out there, a truth that was absolutely needed for all those years, she told the Sun Sentinel after the ceremony. Naves had this advice for the crowd gathered to honor Rubin Stacy on Tuesday. Teach your children the history, she said. Tell them the truth. History is the truth. Naves then addressed all the people who share the Stacy family history her own family history. Advertisement To my family I have not yet met, God bless you. And I hope to see you and meet you in the future. [ RELATED: Facing a painful past: Fort Lauderdale to honor 1935 lynching victim Rubin Stacy ] Jamal Naves, 29, watched his grandmother speak from the front row. Naves, also of Lauderhill, says he only heard the disturbing story of Rubin Stacys lynching a few weeks ago. Onlookers gawk at the lifeless body of Rubin Stacy hanging from a pine tree in Fort Lauderdale on July 19, 1935. Three days earlier, a white woman claimed Stacy attacked her with a knife, though some said he'd simply asked her for a glass of water. (New York Public Library / Courtesy) Bringing us together By Tuesday, he knew the whole sordid story and was meeting cousins he never knew he had. Its very emotional and very touching when you meet people under these circumstances, he said. But its also beautiful because its bringing us together. Naves stood tall and proud as several people eager to meet his grandmother made their way over to her, taking photos and sharing stories. Advertisement Naves said he plans to follow her advice to share the story of Rubin Stacy. I dont have children yet, but when I do, I will tell them his story, he said. I will tell my children and my grandchildren. History was not always kind, Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Robert McKinzie noted on Tuesday. Rubin Stacy was one of hundreds of men lynched in this country because of the color of their skin, McKinzie said. Im feeling bittersweet, he told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. To know the story, its bitter. To see where we are as a city brings more joy and hope for Fort Lauderdale. There is no way to right the wrong that was inflicted on Rubin Stacy, McKinzie said. Advertisement But what you can do is tell the story and play the story, he said. Tell the story. Many on our city commission didnt know the story. Talking about it, we got here. Its a good day. A long time coming, but a good day. Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com or on Twitter @Susannah_Bryan A Broward Sheriffs deputy accused of using excessive force on a teenager in a Tamarac parking lot will have to stand trial for misdemeanor battery after an appeals court rejected the law enforcement officers use of the stand-your-ground defense Wednesday. The decision by the Fourth District Court of Appeal upholds an October 2020 ruling by Broward County Judge Jill K. Levy, who decided that the actions of Deputy Christopher Krickovich went beyond what was necessary to subdue Delucca Rolle, 15, during what police described as a mob scene outside a McDonalds restaurant in walking distance of J.P. Taravella High School in April 2018. Advertisement Video of the incident inflamed racial tensions as two white deputies worked in tandem to bring Rolle down, the first spraying the Black teenager with pepper spray and the second, Krickovich, appearing to slam his head against the asphalt several times. Both deputies were charged with misdemeanor battery. Delucca "Lucca" Rolle, a 15-year-old student at J.P. Taravella High School is the subject of a forceful off-campus arrest by Broward Sheriff's Office deputies. In this still from cell phone video, Deputy Christopher Krickovich forces Rolle's head down to the pavement. (Courtesy) Both deputies invoked the protection of the states stand-your-ground law, but the judge decided only the first deputy, Sgt. Greg LaCerra, was in the right. In the video, LaCerra can be seen pushing Rolle away from where a fellow teenager was being arrested. When Rolle stood up and faced him, LaCerra deployed the pepper spray. Advertisement Some experts agreed with the deputies, who interpreted Rolles stance as aggressive. Judge Levy determined LaCerras actions were in self-defense, but by the time Krickovich jumped in, any threat posed by Rolle had been neutralized. [ RELATED: Deputy is fired for slamming students head to the ground ] The appeals court agreed with Levy. The first officer merely pushed the juvenile to the ground, said the opinion, written by Judge Robert Gross and joined by Judges Melanie May and Jeffrey Kuntz. The juvenile was already face down on the ground when petitioner (Krickovich) positioned himself over him and hit the juveniles face once into the pavement. Petitioner had the juvenile pinned down, holding his head and neck with both hands before he released his right hand and punched him once in the head. The juvenile may have tensed his body and lifted his face from the pavement, but the video from petitioners body camera does not show the juvenile actively resisting arrest. Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony fired Krickovich in December 2019 after an internal-affairs investigation. [ RELATED: Deputy says he never tried to slam teens head on ground during arrest ] Krickovichs lawyer, Jeremy Kroll, said the ruling was a disappointment, but he remained confident a jury will see things differently. We look forward to defending the case on its merits, he said. During the 2020 hearing, Krickovich and other police experts described his actions as a restraining technique designed to get Rolle to comply with his arrest. Had Krickovich intended to inflict harm, the injuries to Rolle would have been far worse, according to the experts. The stand your ground argument had been used successfully in Broward by another deputy, Peter Peraza, who had been charged with manslaughter in the 2013 shooting death of Jermaine McBean in Oakland Park. A judge ruled that Peraza was justified in his belief at the time that McBean posed a deadly threat to the public and fellow officers. After McBean was shot, deputies learned the realistic looking weapon he was carrying was an air rifle. Information from the News Service of Florida was used to supplement this report. HOLLYWOOD A police officer meant to grab his Taser but mistakenly grabbed his gun and shot a man in the back while trying to subdue him, Hollywood police said. Michael Ortiz, 42, is now paralyzed and uses a wheelchair because of the July 3, 2021, altercation. Advertisement The police departments response came after high-profile civil rights attorney Ben Crump held a news conference Monday saying the family demanded surveillance video of the shooting from the police department as part of a public records request. Crumps legal team, which includes co-counsel Paul Napoli and Hunter Shkolnik of Napoli Shkolnik, is also requesting 911 calls, police reports, body camera footage, witness statements, and police radio dispatches relating to the shooting, as well as prior excessive force complaints. In a statement issued late Tuesday, Hollywood police said, The Department recognizes this is an unfortunate incident and is doing what it can to make sure this doesnt happen again. We empathize with Mr. Ortiz and his family and know they have many questions about that evening. Our hope is that once the investigation is complete, we will be able to meet with them and provide any additional information they are seeking. Advertisement In response to the Hollywood police statement, Crump released a statement Wednesday that said, The shooting of Michael Ortiz was no accident. He was handcuffed, naked, on the ground, and posed no threat to the officer when he was shot in the back, resulting in his paralysis. Weve heard these claims before, and they continue to be an insult to the victims and to the communities these officers are sworn to serve. Michael Ortiz and his family at a Feb. 7 news conference led by Attorney Ben Crump as he announces he is seeking records from the Hollywood Police Department, releasing information about the shooting that paralyzed Ortiz. Ortiz was handcuffed, naked, and on the ground when he was shot in the back during an incident on July, 2021. (Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel) Michael Ortiz needed help from the Hollywood Police Department, but what they provided instead was a bullet in the back. Their actions, lack of transparency, and ridiculous excuses are shameful. We will continue to push for the Hollywood Police Department to release all relevant evidence, including all bodycam and surveillance footage of the shooting, to fully understand the circumstances that led to this senseless and preventable tragedy. Michael Ortiz and the Hollywood community deserve transparency and justice, and we wont stop fighting until we get it. According to police reports, Ortiz called Hollywood Fire Rescue to 5200 Hollywood Blvd. on July 3. 2021. Police say he reported chest pains and ingestion of narcotics and was making delusional and suicidal statements. No one answered the door where Fire Rescue arrived, so they called police for assistance. Before police arrived, Ortiz left his sixth-floor apartment naked and combative and threatening to jump from the balcony, according to the Hollywood Police Department statement. [ LEE EN ESPANOL: Hombre disparado queda paralizado por oficial de Hollywood que penso que estaba usando Taser, dice la policia ] But on Monday, Crump said Ortiz, who has several surgeries scheduled and requires constant care, had called 911 because hed lost his dog and was having a mental health crisis. His family had told him to take a shower and calm down, and he was coming out of the shower when the rescue department arrived, and thats why he was naked. Paramedics were trying to get Ortiz under control when police arrived. An officer used his Taser and Ortiz was placed in restraints. But as the emergency workers tried to get Ortiz into an elevator, he continued resisting, according to the police statement. An officer then grabbed his gun, thinking it was his Taser, and shot Ortiz in the back. Family members on Monday said they want answers. Advertisement [ RELATED: Hollywood police shoot man in his back ] At some point he was Tased twice, if not more, Crump said. Why you have the need to shoot me, why there were six grown people and they cant put me down? Ortiz asked at Mondays news conference. Cuff me and thats it. But then they had to use violence? [ IN OTHER NEWS: Dont Say Gay bill draws Senate support amid battle over whats taught in schools ] Hollywood police said theyve preserved all evidence about the July 3 shooting after receiving a request on July 12 from the law firm previously representing Ortiz. The officer was placed on administrative/desk duties and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting. Hollywood Police Departments Internal Affairs will conduct a separate investigation. Weighing split-moment decisions The details about the Ortiz case are emerging as Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter awaits sentencing for manslaughter after killing Daunte Wright during a traffic stop last year. She too said she thought she was firing her stun gun, not her handgun. Wright, who is black, was pulled over for an expired tag and illegal air freshener. Officers found he had an outstanding warrant and attempted to make an arrest, according to The Associated Press. Wright at first complied, but then pulled away from officers and tried to drive off. Potter, who is white, yelled Taser! a few times before shooting. Then she exclaimed, Holy [expletive] I just shot him! She later said, I grabbed the wrong [expletive] gun! At some point after that she said, Im going to go to prison. Advertisement Hollywood police actions are under FDLE scrutiny in another recent case involving a 16-year-old carjacking suspect who died at the end of a two-county chase. [ IN OTHER NEWS: Is Amazon's first Florida supermarket opening in West Boca? ] In November, Hollywood police chased the teenage stolen car suspect from Hollywood into Miami before he crashed the 2018 Alfa Romeo near Northwest 27th and 62nd Street. The driver was taken out of the car, and he died soon afterward. At least one witness said police beat the suspect, but video from the incident is grainy and unclear. The FDLE is investigating. Overall, it was a tumultuous second half of the year for the Hollywood police. In October, officer Yandy Chirino was shot and killed with a stolen gun while investigating a call of a suspicious person riding a bicycle from house to house. Jason Banegas, 18, was arrested for the shooting, which happened after he told Chirino he wanted to shoot himself. Chirino was trying to take the gun from Banegas. Crumps name is known in Florida. He attended South Plantation High School and then Florida State University for his undergraduate degree and law school. Beyond that, Crump is also representing the family of 13-year-old Stanley Davis III, who died in Boynton Beach on Dec. 26, when he fell off his dirt bike after being chased by a Boynton Beach police officer. Davis lost control of the dirt bike after hitting a median, then flew through the air and hit a sign and died. Crump said the family intends to file a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court; they contend the officer was violating police policy in pursing Davis. Crump represented victims families in two other well-known Florida cases Corey Jones and Trayvon Martin. Advertisement Jones was awaiting roadside assistance for his SUV when he was shot and killed in October 2015 by Nouman Raja, a plainclothes Palm Beach Gardens police officer. Raja was convicted of armed manslaughter and first-degree attempted murder in March 2019. Martin, 17, was shot and killed in Sanford in February 2012 by George Zimmerman, 28, who claimed a stand your ground self-defense. Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges. Chris Perkins can be reached at chperkins@sunsentinel.com. Vickie Cartwright isnt known as a superintendent who has transformed the troubled Broward School District during her six months on the job, but she attributes that to being a temporary hire with limited power. That changed Wednesday. Advertisement There have been some actions I have not been able to take as your interim superintendent, she told the School Board during her final interview Wednesday. If given this opportunity, those actions will be going forward. Interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright was voted as the permanent Superintendent of the Broward County School Board on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel) The main action she listed is doing some hiring. Most top leadership jobs in the district are held by employees who hold the positions on a temporary basis. Some dont even meet the minimum job qualifications. But she hasnt been able to find permanent replacements. Advertisement To ask people to relocate on the possibility you might not be permanent superintendent, that a new superintendent might come in and not want you, people arent willing to take that risk, she told reporters. Now, well be able to start recruiting. Im looking for individuals who have a growth mindset, a compassion mindset and a student-first mindset. She has plenty of other challenges in front of her. The school district has struggled recently with the arrests of three top administrators, a grand jury report thats expected to be unflattering, a failed $800 million program to renovate schools, dwindling student enrollment, a perceived lack of transparency, a hostile relationship with state leaders and poor student achievement. That last area student achievement is the one most board members cited as the reason they chose Cartwright, a career educator in public schools, over the other finalist, Michael Gaal, whose teaching experience was being an instructor pilot in the Air Force. Cartwright was a music teacher, a director of special-needs programs and an associate superintendent in Orange County, Fla., for 17 years. She left there in 2018 to become superintendent of the school district in Oshkosh, Wisc., where she stayed three years. When I compare the level of classroom experience, its striking as to who the right person is, School Board member Nora Rupert said. The School Board hired Cartwright in late July as interim superintendent but at first wouldnt let her apply for the permanent job. But by October, board members were happy enough with her to change her contract so she could compete in a national search. Theyre now betting shes the leader to help Broward County overcome the COVID slide, or major losses in student achievement that happened during the pandemic as most students learned remotely. Since students dont take state tests until the spring, its unclear how successful she will be at improving student performance during her first year. Vickie Cartwright is congratulated by Michael Collins of Ray & Associates after she was voted as the Superintendent of the Broward County School Board on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel) Were in an education crisis in the nation, Board Chairwoman Laurie Rich Levinson said. We need to react to that. Due to COVID, we have kids farther behind than we have ever seen. Advertisement Cartwright said a major priority will be providing student services to help them with academic losses as well as social and emotional struggles. She was the candidate strongly supported by the Broward Teachers Union, which wanted the School Board to hire her in October without a search. She has proven to be an intelligent and excellent leader with an ability to listen to and work with all constituencies, Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union, said in a statement after the vote. She quickly gained a keen understanding of the Districts challenges and opportunities. I look forward to continuing the positive and fruitful relationship we have created and to Dr. Cartwrights long tenure as the leader of Broward County Public Schools. Two board members, Lori Alhadeff and Ann Murray, preferred Gaal. Murray asked the board for a revote to show Cartwright unanimous support, but Alhadeff declined. [ RELATED: School Board search comes down to two candidates. ] I just felt so strongly that Mr. Gaal was the right person to lead the schoool district, Alhadeff said. You have to remain true to your convictions. Gaal had told the board he had watched past board meetings and traveled to more than 80 schools to learn about the district. Advertisement He did his homework about the district. Hes a visionary leader with the highest level of integrity, Alhadeff told the School Board before the vote. I strongly believe hes the stronger leader to bring accountability to the district. Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa was murdered in the Parkland tragedy, has been a fierce critic of what she sees as status-quo leadership in the district. Interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright answers questions from the school board for her interview. The two Broward County Superintendent candidates, Interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright and Michael Gaal, an Air Force veteran and former Washington, D.C., deputy chancellor answer final questions from the School Board on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. (Mike Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel) A poignant moment came during Gaals first interview last week when he told Alhadeff the Parkland tragedy was preventable, something litigation-mindful School Board members and administrators have avoided saying. Board member Debbi Hixon lost her husband, Chris, in the tragedy. She said Gaal was a strong candidate but chose Cartwright. Gaal, reached after Wednesdays meeting, would only say, I wish the best to the families, community and students of Broward County. Cartwright will meet with School Board member Laurie Rich Levinson, the chairwoman, in the coming days to negotiate the terms of Cartwrights contract, including her salary and how many years it will be. It would then go to the full School Board for approval. [ LEE EN ESPANOL: La Junta Escolar elige a Vickie Cartwright como superintendente permanente de Broward ] South Florida and Orlando school districts say they were trying to keep students and their families safe when they required students to wear masks on campus last year. Legislators in Tallahassee say that in doing so, a dozen school districts broke Florida law and should face consequences. The Florida House of Representatives moved forward on Wednesday with a plan to punish the school districts that defied Gov. Ron DeSantis ban on face mask mandates for students last year. Advertisement The proposal, called Putting Parents First, would strip a total of $200 million from a dozen school districts that defied DeSantis. That includes Broward County, Palm Beach County, and Miami-Dade County school districts, as well as the Orange County school district in Orlando. [ RELATED: State House education leaders move to punish Florida school districts that imposed mask mandates ] The money will come out of the salaries of about 1,600 non-teaching school employees that make over $100,000, and would be spread among the 55 school districts that didnt impose mask mandates. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Palm Bay, recommended the proposal and suggested that the 12 districts had more money than they needed to pay bureaucrats, such as superintendents and administrators working in central offices, making more than double the starting salary of a school teacher. Advertisement House Democrats in the appropriations committee said they disagreed with the measure, calling it unfair and questioning its constitutionality. They also questioned how Fine could say the move was not punitive, a point he maintained throughout the meeting. Rep. Joseph Geller, D-Aventura, advocated on behalf of the parents who supported mask mandates. In a lot of cases, parents like me who didnt want our students going to school where they would pick something up and bring it home, he said, adding that his wife is recovering from cancer and other families surely have immunocompromised loved ones at home. Rep. Ramon Alexander, D-Tallahassee, said he thought it was a mistake to limit local school boards who are elected to make decisions for their communities. I believe there are a lot of intended and unintended consequences, he said, adding that even if it might be good to trim the fat from school systems, that should be up to local school boards to do the best thing for their community in a thoughtful and deliberate way. A tale of state versus local control By the summer of 2021, students and teachers had endured a school year of remote learning and isolation, which hampered instruction and put some students further behind in school. State leaders decided it was time for students and teachers to return to campus, even as the delta variant spiked daily. The governor issued an executive order against requiring masks, warning school districts that were considering mandates to let parents choose. Advertisement When students returned, many had to quarantine due to exposure in their classes, and some of the most populous school districts determined that masks were necessary to protect kids, their families, and teachers. As the school year progressed, school board members and superintendents sat through lengthy meetings where anti-mask protesters flooded public comment with misinformation and even threatened them and their families. [ RELATED: State may withhold funds and remove School Board members over masks ] The feud continued for months, as state leaders threatened to withhold funds and remove School Board members. Finally, some of the School Boards banded together to take a stand against the governors ban and challenged it in court, including Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, Orange, and Alachua County school districts, among others. Those districts questioned the states authority to pass such a rule that was contrary to federal guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before those issues were resolved in court, DeSantis executive order was cemented in state law during a special legislative session in November. DeSantis signed HB 1B that prohibited vaccine and mask requirements in schools. There was no immediate effect at the time, since the school district had already decided to make masks optional for everyone since the county had met a benchmark of positivity rates below 3%. Advertisement A few weeks later, the omicron variant burned through South Florida. Though omicrons effects appeared less severe than the previous variants, positivity rates spiked again. South Floridas school districts again mandated masks, but only for adults on campus. Districts react The Broward County Council of PTAs said in a statement that the measure to remove money from districts would hurt children in schools. As child advocates, we are very disappointed in the provision to fine school districts for responding to local conditions and community input and taking appropriate action to protect our children, the statement reads. Any financial penalties assessed on the district ultimately affects the education and well-being of our children. Next, the provision will be up for a vote on the House floor. The council said it would work with the legislature to remove the provision during the conference process with the Senate. Brooke Baitinger can be reached at: bbaitinger@sunsentinel.com, 954-422-0857 or on Twitter: @bybbaitinger If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading The Henderson News. Note: Special one-year subscription at a reduced price for first-time subscribers or for subscriptions that have been expired for at least one year those living in Jackson County and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (28719) addresses qualify. Offer good through Friday, Aug. 2, 2019. We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover; we do not accept AMEX. MANZINI Seven members of the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO) were injured after an alleged attack by members of His Majestys Correctional Services (HMCS) yesterday. The purported attack reportedly happened outside the Matsapha Maximum Correctional Facility, where the members of SWALIMO had paid a visit to incarcerated Ngwempisi Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), Mthandeni Dube. According to the Chairperson of SWALIMO National Coordinating Office (NCO), Mzwandile Dlamini, members of his organisation had gone to visit the incarcerated legislator. He said upon arrival at the Matsapha Maximum Correctional Facility, three senior officials of SWALIMO sought permission to see the MP. Maximum Dlamini said they were turned back and informed that they could not see the legislator as he (Dube) had reached the maximum of four visitors for the month of February. It is worth noting that the HMCS announced that from October 9, 2021, offenders were allowed to have four visitors per month. In each visit, it was said the inmates were permitted to have a maximum of three guests. This was announced as a measure implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19. This stance is said to be still in effect at the Correctional facilities. On the other hand, Dlamini said the three senior officials were informed that they should return on March 1, 2022. This, he said, resulted in them seeking clarity on what guarantee could they have in that when they returned on the said date, they would not be turned away again. They told us that there was no guarantee other than to reiterate that we should return on March 1, 2022, Dlamini said. The NCO chairperson said they cooperated with the officials and left. He said as they were travelling with other SWALIMO members, they decided to give them feedback. The members they were travelling with, Dlamini said, were waiting adjacent to the Matsapha Town Council stalls, which are located about 100 metres from the entrance of the Correctional facility. Addressing He said when they were addressing their members, the HMCS personnel were in close proximity (next to the entrance). Dlamini said the trio, which had been assigned to see the incarcerated legislator on behalf of SWALIMO, addressed the other members, who at the end of the speeches sang about two songs. Thereafter, he claimed they dispersed. The NCO chairpersons assertions were further corroborated by the SWALIMO Deputy Secretary General (DSG), Gift Dlamini. The DSG alleged that when they dispersed; the HMCS officials attacked their members. He supposed that more females were attacked. The DSG claimed that the officers who fired tear gas canisters in an effort to disperse them were males. Gift further supposed that the HMCS personnel used batons to beat their members. Today I was shocked that most security personnel are cowards as they attacked more females than us males. After speaking to our members, informing them that we should leave and come in our numbers on March 1, 2022, we dispersed, he claimed. Gift supposed that when they were leaving the market stalls, the HMCS personnel created a Shaka Horn (an attacking tactic which sets the target in the centre). He said it was at this instance that one of the people present, Nomthandazo Maseko, who had just boarded a vehicle, was pulled out. The DSG purported that Maseko was then assaulted with all sorts of missiles, which resulted in her sustaining injuries on her hands, arms and back. He said this shocked him as the supposed perpetrators of the violence were males, who had the responsibility to protect women from gender-based violence (GBV). Nomthandazo was beaten for doing absolutely nothing. She was unarmed and was in the car, the DSG purported. Gift further said there was another female member aged 18 who was allegedly assaulted by the HMCS officers. He supposed that this was disheartening as the female was still young and did not deserve to be assaulted in the manner she was. Dead Our organising secretary was also beaten and we suspected that he was dead. He was beaten on the craniovertebral junction with a baton, claimed Gift. The DSG supposed that their organising secretary was also hit hard on the head. He said according to their calculations at about 3:16pm, there were seven casualties of the said attack and they were treated at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital. Furthermore, Gift said their womens representative in the Hhohho Region was treated in a hospital in Matsapha after she was supposedly beaten even when seated. He also empathised with the families of those who were supposedly attacked and further ensured that they did not suffer any attacks beyond what they were purportedly exposed to. MANZINI - The power of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Prince Simelane, which he used to ban local governments from issuing permits for gathering, is being challenged in court. This is because the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) has taken the Municipal Council of Manzini to court for refusing to grant it a permit to gather and march in Manzini today. The workers federation, which is represented by Human Rights Lawyer Thulani Maseko, from TR Maseko Attorneys, filed an urgent application at Manzini Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon. The first respondent is Manzini mayor, while the second respondent is the Municipal Council of Manzini. The third and fourth respondents are the minister of housing and Urban Development and national commissioner of police, respectively. The attorney general is the fifth respondent. Oppose In the notice of application, the federation asked the court to call upon the first and second respondents, together with any others who might choose to oppose its application, to show cause why their decision which was communicated to the applicant by letter dated February 4, 2022 refusing the federation to gather at Somhlolo National Park, Manzini today, should not be reviewed and/or corrected and set aside. Worth noting is that in its response (annexed) to the federations application, the municipality said: Kindly be informed that following a directive from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to indefinitely suspend the issuance of permits for all processions within urban areas, dated October 21, 2021, council denied your application to assemble at the Somhlolo National Park and to utilise proposed routes for the procession. Again, the applicant applied that the court should declare that the decision of the first respondent, refusing it to gather at the Somhlolo National Park, to be unlawful, null and void and of no force or effect. They argued that this was because the minister allegedly had no power to order the suspension of filing of notices for gatherings and processions. It also applied that the fourth respondent (NATCOM) be ordered not to interfere with the peaceful gathering and procession of the applicant. Proposed In the application, the federation attached a founding affidavit of its Secretary General Mduduzi Gina, who is also the convenor of the proposed gathering and procession organised by the applicant. He alleged that on February 2, 2022, the applicant delivered a notice of a gathering to the offices of the second respondent in terms of Section 6 of the Public Order Act of 2017. He submitted that the purpose of the notice was to notify the second respondent of the applicants intention for a gathering in Manzini on Wednesday February 9, 2022 (today). Gina also alleged that the applicant also served and delivered a letter to the Manzini Police Regional Commissioner, notifying them about the notice to deliver a petition. Thereafter, he submitted that through a letter dated February 4, 2022, the first respondent communicated to the applicant and refused to allow the gathering to proceed. He submitted that it was the applicants contention that this refusal was not only unreasonable but it was allegedly unlawful and had no force or effect. He alleged that it was clear that the first and second respondents took into account irrelevant factors in that the reason to refuse the gathering and procession was based on some directive allegedly issued by the third respondent. Directive There is no provision in the Public Order Act authorising the first respondent and second respondents to act on the directive and instruction of another authority, even if that authority is the minister, the secretary general submitted. He also told the court that there was allegedly equally no provision in the Act that the minister had the power and authority to issue a directive ordering the first and second respondent to suspend issuance of permits in terms of the Act. He added that even the respondents did not point out of any such provision. We are advised and verily accept that it is our understanding that the respondents may prohibit a gathering and only on grounds permissible under the Act. Advised We are advised and verily accept that the respondents may deny a gathering on the basis of Section 8(7) (a) of the Act as read together with subsection 17(a) of the Act. We are advised and verily accept that by relying on some directive purportedly issued by the third respondent the first and second respondent acted ultra vires the provision of the Act, Gina submitted. As such, he alleged that the decision refusing the gathering had to be reviewed and set aside as it was allegedly unlawful in the fact that the first and second respondent allegedly failed to apply their mind in a lawful manner. He added that it was their submission that given that the decision of the first and second respondent was allegedly unlawful, there was no basis for the fourth respondent to stop the gathering from proceeding. Therefore, he submitted that the applicant apply to the court to set aside the decision of the first and second respondent and to issue an order compelling the said respondents to issue a certificate in terms of Section 10 of the Act. Scheduled The matter is urgent for the reason that the gathering is scheduled to take place on Wednesday February 9, 2022 (today) and all preparations have been made, Gina submitted. He also added that the decision allegedly violates the applicants members right to peaceful assembly, association and expression as guaranteed in the Constitution. Again, he submitted that a violation of human rights invites a degree of urgency. The matter is before Manzini Acting Principal Magistrate Sindisile Zwane and it was postponed to today at 10am as some of the representatives of some of the respondents had asked to consult with their clients. MBABANE - Outspoken Prophet Vusumuzi Major V Dlamini reportedly told bank officials that an amount of E900 500 was mysteriously deposited into his account at Swaziland Building Society (SBS) by a drug dealer who was transporting drugs from Mozambique to Johannesburg. Major V whose real name is Vusumuzi Brother Dlamini, was explaining to the bank officials the source of the money after it did not reflect who had deposited it. When the prophet was first asked about the source of the money, he allegedly told the bank officials that it was deposited by his wife, but later changed tune to say it was deposited by a drug dealer he did not know. According to the bank officials, the clergyman further told them that the drug dealer asked him to open an account with Swaziland Building Society and give him the account number, which he did. Explained The prophet is alleged to have further explained that the drug dealer then made the deposit. He said he was not aware of the figure to be deposited and only learnt while at an automated teller machine (ATM) that it was a lot of money. Dlamini is alleged to have continued to tell the bank officials that he was unable to contact the sender of the money as he dealt with him once and decided to wait for his call to establish the method of payment he used as well as the proof of payment. Another explanation that was allegedly given by the man of the cloth pertaining to the source of the money, was that he worked with various people, praying for them for luck to get money, trafficking and evading criminal charges, hence they thanked him with large sums of money. These are allegations whos veracity is yet to be tested in court. Swaziland Building Society yesterday moved an exparte urgent application after it discovered that Major V was disbursing the money in question to various accounts and other banks. Some of the money was transferred to Dlaminis account held with First National Bank (FNB) Swaziland and Standard Bank Eswatini Limited. An exparte application is one that is filed without the knowledge of the other party. Judge Mzwandile Fakudze has since issued an interim order interdicting First National Bank from allowing any transfers of funds made by Dlamini to his account and other third parties on February 4, 2022 from account number 52000362621. He also directed Standard Bank Eswatini Limited to reverse and pay any monies it presently held in favour of Dlamini. In his founding affidavit, the Managing Director (MD) of Swaziland Building Society, Mbali Sibanyoni, informed the court that despite stating that he (Dlamini) did not have any proof of deposit or transfer of the funds, Major V was still demanding the two banks (First National Bank Swaziland and Standard Bank Eswatini Limited) to release the money to him. Giving a background of the matter, Sibanyoni narrated to the court that on February 2, 2022, the first respondent (Major V) approached the applicants (Swaziland Building Society) branch in Matsapha to open a special savings account. According to the MD, in this regard the prophet furnished information to one of the banks officials and then signed a customer information form. Sibanyoni said pursuant to the above, Dlamini then opened the special savings account and as per the procedure, he was required to make a cash deposit into the account and he duly made one of E500. This amount according to Sibanyoni, was then shown as a debit entry in the branch cash account. The MD recounted that on February 4, 2021, the applicants Matsapha Branch Manager, Eric Gamedze, discovered that the account had an abnormal credit entry of E900 500 when reviewing a withdrawal of E10 000 made by Major V. While going through the account, he (Eric) then realised that the first respondent had already made a number of withdrawals on that day, submitted the MD. Swaziland Building Society was represented by Senior Lawyer Kenneth Motsa of Robinson Bertram. Sibanyoni stated that preliminary investigations by Swaziland Building Society are said to have shown that the credit entry of E900 500 into the account of Major V was as a result of a system error. Sibanyoni informed the court that the preliminary investigations were conducted by Gamedze. According to the MD, Gamedze then suspended the operation of the account, pending further investigations. Sibanyoni informed the court that, Gamedze tried to reach the first respondent (Major V) on his mobile number on February 4, 2022 to seek clarity but could not reach him. However, on February 5, 2022 Eric (Gamedze) managed to reach the first respondent and asked him how he got to withdraw the monies appearing in his statement when he only deposited E500 and he told him that his wife made the deposit on his behalf and he was going to bring proof of the deposit, which never took place, alleged the MD. Payment Sibanyoni submitted that the banks officials then advised the prophet that they were going to put a lien over the balance of the funds held by him pending submission of the proof of deposit and to date he had not done so. The managing director went on to narrate to the court that on February 5, 2022, when the banks officials conducted further investigations, they established that besides the E10 000 which alerted Gamedze, Major V had made cash withdrawals of about E105 000 both from the automated teller machine (ATM) and inside the Manzini branch. He further transferred himself via e-pocket top up a sum of about E5 000 and further transferred to his FNB account via internet transfer a sum of E150 000. In addition, on the same day, he made internet transfers to Standard Bank Eswatini Limited to Justice Dlamini and to Standard Bank to Portia D Investment, averred the MD. She said the bank then engaged First National Bank Swaziland and Standard Bank Eswatini Limited through, the banking mechanism to withhold the funds. Sibanyoni highlighted that Standard Bank Eswatini only managed to reimburse the applicant (Swaziland Building Society) a sum of E33 328 from the monies that were transferred to Portia D Investment and E8 700 from the one that was transferred to Justice. She brought it to the attention of the court that presently, the applicant was not sure whether Standard Bank was still holding any further funds, hence the citation herein. Advised The MD further submitted that on the other hand, the applicant had been advised by FNB Swaziland that it still held the E150 000 which Major V transferred to his account held with it but needed a court order to further interdict and/or reverse those funds. She submitted that in the morning of February 7, 2022, Major V came to the applicants Matsapha branch where he met Gamedze (Matsapha Branch Manager), Celumusa Phakathi (Acting Head of Distribution Channels and Nomfundo Sihlongonyane (fraud investigator). According to the managing director, the prophet told them that he worked with various people praying for them for luck in getting money; trafficking and evading criminal charges, hence they thanked him with large sums of money. He also allegedly told the officials that he received the money in question from a drug dealer who was transporting drugs from Mozambique to Johannesburg. Investigations Following the above, the applicant concluded subsequent to forensic investigations has established that there is neither any bank transfer nor any cash deposit for the sum of E900 500 and consequently it preliminary investigations is that the first respondent (Major V) was erroneously credited with this amount, hence the funds do not belong to him, Sibanyoni argued. She averred that besides the error, Major V had stated that the funds were received from a drug dealer. The MD said although he could not produce any proof even if his version could be believed (which was not admitted), he could not receive such funds as they should be subjected to criminal investigations. The various banks where the monies were deposited and the clergyman were yesterday served with the interim order by a deputy sheriff. 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. Assets under management (AUM) in Islamic mutual funds have increased substantially so as to outpace global fund growth rate, says Fitch Ratings in a new report. AUM peaked at end-2Q21 at around $130 billion, before falling to around $120 billion at end-2021. Fitch estimates that the growth rate of Islamic funds (84% nominal/13% annualised) has exceeded that of the broader global mutual fund industry (68% nominal/11% annualised), based on the latest comparable data for the five years to end-3Q21, which is based on Lipper and ICI Global data. Saudi Arabia and Malaysia remain the pre-eminent Islamic fund domiciles worldwide, reflecting strongly established local markets. Offshore markets, such as Jersey and Luxembourg, also have nascent Islamic fund markets. Jersey is an Islamic exchange-traded fund (ETF) hub, where multiple commodity ETFs (notably gold ETFs) claim Sharia status, whilst Luxembourg has a broader Islamic mutual fund base. Money market funds (MMFs) are the largest Islamic fund type. This is largely driven by the fact that Saudi Arabia is the largest Islamic fund domicile and MMFs are the dominant fund type there. By end-4Q21, 83% of Saudi Islamic fund AUM was invested in MMFs. Conversely, Malaysia fund assets are more spread out, with equity funds the largest segment representing 44% of total AUM. Structural and legal characteristics of the assets held by Islamic funds can cause additional rating complexities, notably in the case of defaults in portfolio holdings. Furthermore, variations in regulatory practices in major Islamic fund domiciles can be meaningful to fund rating analysis, particularly when compared with standards and regulatory practices in major international markets.-- TradeArabia News Service King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), an iconic business and lifestyle destination with state of the art physical and digital infrastructure, has signed a MoU with London-based think tank Asia House to explore bringing high-level business and fintech dialogues to Riyadh. An architectural marvel designed by more than 25 of the world-leading architectural firms, KAFD currently has 64 towers and 30 buildings that are reshaping the skyline of Riyadh. It is spread over an area of 1.6 sq km and offers a competitive business ecosystem and vibrant lifestyle experiences. KAFD is the largest development globally to achieve the LEED Platinum certification, the highest accreditation from USGBC (US Green Building Council), recognizing KAFD as a global leader in sustainability. The MoU will see KAFD and Asia House work together to bring leading business and policy figures from across the world to Saudi Arabia as KAFD develops as a prime business and lifestyle destination. The partnership will see Asia House and KAFD hold a major Riyadh conference in 2022 focusing on Saudi Arabias fintech potential. The MoU lays the groundwork for a range of events, discussions and research activities highlighting KAFDs status as the prime business and lifestyle destination in the region, said KAFD Chief Executive Gautam Sashittal, after signing the deal with Asia House CEO Michael Lawrence during a digital ceremony yesterday (February 7). It follows Asia Houses highly successful 2020 Global Trade Dialogue in Riyadh, and builds on the organisations engagement across the Gulf through its Middle East Programme and wider research output focusing on economic trends in the region. Sashittal said the agreement was set to bring out the best ideas to move forward and create a competitive business ecosystem. "We at KAFD are happy to build bridges of cooperation with the worlds top organizations to foster a culture of creativity and innovation," he added. Lawrence said: "We are pleased to be working with KAFD as Saudi Arabia broadens its role in the world economy alongside its Vision 2030 agenda." Asia House works with companies and governments in Asia, the Middle East and Europe, facilitating high-level dialogue, providing business and market intelligence, and driving commercial outcomes. Three major exhibitions -- the Gulf Property Show, Gulf Construction Expo and Interiors Expo -- have been confirmed to take place in Bahrain from March 22 to 24 under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE), the organiser of the highly anticipated shows, is keen to welcome the public for the kingdoms leading events. The three shows last took place in Bahrain in 2019 and drew 8,000 registered visitors. Jubran Abdulrahman, Managing Director of Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions, commenting on the rescheduled dates, said: Visitors to the shows in March can expect major offers from our exhibitors across the three aligned sectors of construction, real estate and interiors. At HCE, we are committed to deliver events of the highest quality which add to Bahrains value proposition as a venue for MICE events. "While we will be taking all actions to ensure public health safety in accordance to ministry regulations, the appeal of the event will not be diminished for visitors from Bahrain and the GCC, he added. The Gulf Property Show, Gulf Construction Expo and Interiors Expo will take place at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre ensuring the continued success of the biggest integrated business-to-business showcase for the construction, interiors and property sectors ever to be staged in the Northern GCC. - TradeArabia News Service The Sultanate of Omans Industry Day, which is celebrated on February 9, this year coincides with the start of development of five new industrial cities in Khasab, Ibri, Thumrait, Shinas and Al Mudhaibi, informs Hilal bin Hamad Al Hasani, CEO of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates Madayn. These industrial cities will be added to the nine that are operating across the Sultanate, which will play a pivotal role in enhancing comprehensive and sustainable economic and social development under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Al Hasani said, adding: The new industrial cities represent the result of Madayns policies and its 2040 Vision programmes that are in line with Oman Vision 2040. Our goal is to reach 40 industrial cities. With only one industrial city in Oman back in 1991 when the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said paid a historic visit to Al Rusayl Industrial City, the industrial sector is now thriving with an expanding network of industrial cities across the country. With nearly 2,300 localised projects, the total investment volume in Madayn's industrial cities today is approaching RO 7 billion. The Omanisation rate in these projects exceeds 38% of the total workforce in the industrial cities, which accounts for up to 8% of the total private sector workforce at the national level and exceeds 63% of the total workforce in the industrial sector of Oman, Al Hasani pointed out. Madayn has recently launched investment complexes project which offers an opportunity for local and foreign companies to invest in the industrial sector and associated complementary sectors. Madayn has also introduced recently its Industrial Innovation Academy to promote a diversified and sustainable economy based on technology, knowledge and innovation. Moreover, Madayn has announced the establishment of new industrial cities as part of the current five-year plan in Musandam, Al Dhahirah, Al Sharqiyah North, Al Batinah North and Dhofar governorates, which will be equipped with advanced infrastructure. Madayn has also begun to look for local and foreign investors to develop other industrial cities in partnership with the private sector. In addition to these efforts, Madayn has opened Masar Service Centres in two industrial cities, with soft openings in four more industrial cities, to play a key role in accelerating and simplifying investment procedures for investors and achieving a safe and ideal investment and business environment. Madayn has also recently announced a package of incentives and exemptions from fees to support the investment climate in its various industrial cities. Al Hasani emphasised that, despite the global economic fluctuations and COVID-19 impact, Madayn was able to receive 325 investment applications in 2021, of which 193 got localised in the various industrial cities. Madayns total investment volume increased by 1.6 %, the total number of projects grew by 3.4%, and the percentage of leased space increased to 2.05%.TradeArabia News Service ICT plays a critical role in the sustainability drive, particularly in accelerating the transition to cleaner power, supporting zero-emission vehicles, and scientific innovation, says Jason Cao, CEO, Huawei Bahrain World leaders convened for the COP26 summit with urgent calls to accelerate action towards climate change. One of the most ambitious national pledges at the conference in Glasgow was made by Bahrain, with the GCC country announcing plans to reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent over the next 15 years. Speaking at the summit in Glasgow, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, said the 2035 target includes quadrupling the area of Bahrain's mangroves, doubling tree coverage and investing in sustainable technologies. The COP26 announcement was the culmination of long-term efforts by Bahrain to forge a sustainable future. In November 2014, the country established the Sustainable Energy Unit (SEU), a joint initiative between the Office of the Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The SEU aimed to create a cohesive and sustainable energy policy and promote renewable energy and energy efficiency in Bahrain. The SEU developed the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP), representing the Kingdom's efforts to deliver the sustainable energy transition envisioned in the Economic Vision 2030. The plan sets a national renewable energy target of 5% by 2025 and 10% by 2035. The proposed renewable energy mix consists of solar, wind and waste to energy technologies. Amidst these ambitious climate plans, the pivotal role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in supporting the transition to a sustainable future cannot be overstated. In particular, ICT plays a critical role in three areas: accelerating the transition to cleaner power, supporting zero-emission vehicles, and raising climate ambitions through scientific innovation. Further, breakthroughs in ICT are helping to protect the environment indirectly. For example, 5G networks are optimised to transmit data at a fraction of the energy consumption per bit of 4G, leading to enormous climate gains when set against the copious amounts of data transmitted through modern mobile networks daily. Leaders at COP26 were vocal that a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach is required for research to ensure that a diverse range of technology and climate solutions are affordable, available, and accessible to all. To deliver on these sustainability goals, we need to build electric systems based on new power sources, particularly solar. With some of the world's longest sunlight hours, there are great opportunities for large-scale deployment of PV and energy storage systems in Bahrain. Combining digital and power electronics technology using AI, cloud, and big data provides a pathway to low carbon solutions for nearly all sectors. By continuing to develop the capabilities and skills to use these technologies at scale, Bahrain will find itself well on its way to achieving its sweeping campaign to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions. Offering clean energy solutions is one of several priorities that Huawei has in Bahrain over the coming years. Founded earlier this year, Huawei Digital Power combines digital and power electronics technology to provide low carbon solutions to end-users that are secure, simplified, and green. Using AI, cloud, and big data will facilitate more efficient operation and maintenance so that enterprises can provide clean and stable power to society. If we put 5G and digital power together, as one example, we can envision a future where we can build smart and integrated energy solutions easier and at lower costs. -TradeArabia News Service The culture ministers of Saudi Arabia and the UK have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) which sets out the framework for enhanced cooperation between both countries in the cultural and creative sectors. The MoU was signed by Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Minister of Culture and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, the Rt. Hon. Nadine Dorries. The Rt. Hon Nadine Dorries said: "I was delighted to sign a new cultural agreement between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the amazing Diriyah Biennale - a place for dialogue and exchange between Saudi Arabia and the world - with HH Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud. Culture has the power to unite people from every background, and this new agreement will strengthen our ties in film, museums and heritage." Under the MoU, the longstanding allies and close trading partners will work to increase collaboration in high-growth industries such as film and music production, architecture, design, and fashion. Partnerships in technical fields such as archaeology and publishing will also be facilitated, and both sides have committed to sharing policy best-practice and experience in the cultivation of successful creative industries. The MoU will also facilitate greater knowledge transfer and cooperation in fields such as heritage preservation and archaeology. Technical experts and academics will share their findings and best practice from groundbreaking programs in several locations around the Kingdom through exchanges and workshops that will help to build capacity in both countries. Other aspects of the MoU include plans for expanding artist residency and cultural exchange programs, which will enable Saudi and UK talents to learn from and create with their counterparts, and the promotion of both cultures across Saudi Arabia and the UK. The MoU signing took place in Riyadh in the creative district of JAX on the first day of Rt. Hon. Nadine Dorries visit to the Kingdom. As part of the trip, the delegation toured the Kingdoms first art biennale, the Diriyah Biennale, and met with industry leaders, cultural professionals, and other government officials. The Kingdoms cultural and creative sectors have grown rapidly as part of Saudi Vision 2030s diversification efforts, with the Ministry of Culture implementing a raft of business-friendly regulatory changes and overseeing exponential growth of the countrys cultural infrastructure. TradeArabia News Service Standard Chartered Bank hosted at Bank House, the distinctive building in the Gufool area which was the residence of the banks directors from 1955 to 2008, an art exhibition titled "Visual Acuity 20/20". The show is organized by Al Riwaq Art Space headed by Bayan Al-Barrak Kanoo, under the patronage and presence of Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, and several artists. Noura Hassan Al-Nisf, Head of Corporate Affairs and Media at Standard Chartered Bank, Bahrain and the Middle East, said providing gallery space for artistic activities at the Bank House is part of the bank's sustainability projects, which include developing Bahraini talent and continuing to bring cultures and ideas closer together, as well as revitalising the house, which was once a space for community events for Bahrain's senior figures for more than 50 years. She added this reflects the bank's legacy as the oldest bank in Bahrain that was established more than a hundred years ago and kept pace with all economic, social, and cultural developments in Bahrain over a century. Al-Nisf explained that the exhibition "Visual Acuity 20/20" is part of a recent series of events sponsored by Bank House, including an art exhibition directed by artist Lubna Al-Amin that shed the light on the financial industry via artworks at the beginning of 2020. She noted the exhibition highlights Al Riwaq Art Space's interest in education and was the result of a training programme entitled "Al Rabeta" that began in the autumn of 2019 with 16 male and female artists researching issues linked to art history and current art concepts. This programme witnessed a discussion of concepts that were combined with the artists' narratives, and this experience resulted in a qualitative leap in the artists' methods, as well as the fact that this exhibition presents the artists' multiple visions based on what was discussed during Al Rabeta's programme. Al-Nisf also praised the fruitful collaboration with Al-Riwaq Art Space and its advanced position in the local and regional cultural movement, thanks to the efforts of its founder and president, Bayan Al-Barrak Kanoo. She expressed her delight with the success of the efforts to transform the Bank House into a new artistic incubator for Bahrain's cultural movement. - TradeArabia News Service The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has organised a delegation comprising eight giant Brazilian companies to join the 27th edition of Gulfood 2022 on February 13 to 17 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The delegation includes BRF, one of the largest Brazilian food companies, and traders from the coffee, sugar, meat, fruits, spices, and beverages sectors. The participating companies are all experienced in foreign markets, with some already established presence in the Arab market. The group will be provided with designated pavilions to display a range of food and beverage products, including beef and poultry, biscuits, cookies, cheese, sweets, fruits, acai, pasta, honey, juice, coconut water, coffee, and sugar. The South American nation has been participating in Gulfood for more than a decade now, which has significantly helped the entry of Brazilian products in the Gulf region. One of the priority objectives is to promote Brazil as a supplier of espresso coffee beans in the GCC. Brazil is known globally as one of the top producers of coffee but it has barely reached the Arab markets. Brazils participation in the upcoming major event is to strengthen further its trade relationship with the GCC countries, which have grown significantly over the years. In 2021 alone, 22 Arab countries imported food products amounting to $8.92 billion from Brazil, a 9.52 percent increase from 2020. Osmar Chohfi, President, Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said: Gulfood is one of the most important events to boost the Brazil-Arab economic and trade relations, particularly in the food and beverage sectors and other high-value products. The trade show will also pave the way for more collaborative efforts and ventures as we seek to achieve the international food industry agenda. We have high expectations of Gulfood this year, especially with its timing. With Expo 2020 Dubai, there are many visitors and other stakeholders from the global business community. We are also anticipating discussions and exchange of expertise on the latest trends and developments in regional and global food markets, he added. Arab countries are the third top importer of Brazilian products, according to ABCC. Brazilian exports to the Arab world amounted to USD 14.42 billion in 2021, a 26.1 per cent increase from 2020. Meanwhile, Arab exports to Brazil in 2021 grew by 82.8 per cent, valued at USD 9.82 billion. This is the biggest Arab exports since 2014, according to the Chamber. Gulfood 2022, the regions largest annual F&B sourcing event, is all set to unlock new waves of opportunities as producers and retailers explore ways to refine packaging, reduce industry waste, achieve sustainability goals, and position the industry as responsive and responsible. TradeArabia News Service Sunset Hospitality Group (SHG), renowned for curating contemporary hospitality experiences, and Dex Squared Hospitality, a hospitality management company, have signed a joint venture to bring SHGs portfolio of brands to Egypt. The announcement coincides with the Groups strategic expansion plans for 2022. It will see SHGs hospitality and lifestyle concepts entering Egypt, the Arab worlds third-largest economy, and set to become a destination of choice for lifestyle experiences. Antonio Gonzalez, CEO, Sunset Hospitality Group, said: As we enter a promising 2022, we are glad to announce our joint venture with Dex Squared Hospitality to enter Egypt. Egypt offers a rich business environment. Being close to many European markets and a gateway to Africa, the country attracts tourists and investors alike. With its magnificent climate, sandy beaches, popular attractions like its historical monuments, and vibrant social life, our hospitality concepts will add value to the many experiences this country has to offer. The partnership will see Sunset DexEgypt use its knowledge and experience of the Egyptian market to operate healthy business investments that meet the specific objectives of Sunset Hospitality Group. This means Egypt will be home to brands like Azure Beach, Ammos, Black Tap, and Isola Ristorante Italiano, to name a few. Dex Squared is a hospitality management firm led by a highly experienced team with decades of engagement in developing hotel and restaurant brands and managing the portfolio of international hotel chains in MEA. Dex Squared Hospitality uses its diversified expertise to provide bespoke and relevant solutions ranging from franchised third party operated and stand-alone hotels, asset managed hotels and the development of innovative hotel and restaurant-related software. Kevork Deldelian, CEO & Founder, Dex Squared Hospitality, said: We have witnessed Sunset Hospitality Groups steady growth in the last decade. Their expertise in introducing great hospitality concepts to Dubais dining scene and their successful partnerships with world-acclaimed brands confirm their strong business foundation. We believe that the successful track records and extensive experience of both Dex Squared Hospitality and Sunset Hospitality Group will be the catalyst that this new company will capitalize on; introducing Sunsets brands to Egypt will further strengthen the growth of both companies and confirm their reputation to be the leading hospitality and management companies in the region and beyond. TradeArabia News Service Business travel expenditure in the Middle East is forecast to rise by 32% this year, following a predicted 49% increase during 2021, said organisers of the upcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, citing a World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) report. ATM will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) from May 9-12. Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME ATM, said: This positive data will provide a welcome boost for business travel and tourism professionals throughout the Middle East region, as economies around the world begin to relax travel restrictions, despite the disruption caused by the outbreak of the Omicron variant. During 2021, the increase in business spending for the full year is expected to have actually outpaced spending on leisure travel by 13%, 10% and 1% in the Middle East, Europe and Africa respectively. Aviation experts speaking at ATM 2021, had expected business travel to lag behind leisure travel, but this estimated increase of 32%, comes on top of a predicted rise during 2021 of 49% which although 2020 was a challenging year, the business travel segment is now clearly accelerating towards pre pandemic levels, added Curtis. In terms of business travel spending in 2021, the report ranks the Middle East region first with an increase of 49%, followed by Europe and Africa (36%), Asia Pacific (32%) and the Americas (14%). According to the report, the Asia Pacific region will lead the world in 2022 with growth in spending of 41%, followed by the Americas with a 35% increase, the Middle East 32%, Europe on 28% and Africa with a 23% rise. Business travel will also be under the spotlight this year on the ATM Global Stage, where the worlds premier business travel and meetings trade organisation, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), will discuss its latest business travel content and research, during two main sessions - The future of business travel and Building a sustainable business travel programme, said Curtis. The WTTC report was compiled in collaboration with McKinsey & Company called Adapting to Endemic Covid-19: The Outlook for Business Travel and draws on research, analysis and in-depth interviews with travel & tourism business leaders to enable organisations to prepare for corporate travel in the post-pandemic era. The report concluded, our research shows room for optimism with Asia Pacific and the Middle East first off the starting blocks. Now in its 29th year and working in collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Dubais Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) formerly the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) ATM show highlights in 2022 will include, among others, destination summits focused on the key source markets of Saudi Arabia, Russia and India. One new feature this year will be ATM Travel Tech. Previously called Travel Forward, the rebranded and revamped event will feature the ATM Travel Tech Stage hosting seminars, debates and presentations including pitches from finalists in the brand-new ATM Draper-Aladdin Start-up Competition. The dedicated [email protected] forum will cover current and future trends for tour operators and attractions, focusing on growing business through marketing, technology, distribution, thought leadership and executive-level connections. ATM will once again play an integral role in Arabian Travel Week, a festival of events dedicated to enabling travel professionals from all over the world to collaborate and shape the recovery of the Middle East travel industry through exhibitions, conferences, breakfast briefings, awards, product launches and networking events. Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) will address delegates on ATM Global Stage, as growth in business travel spending is estimated to have outstripped leisure travel in 2021, according to the WTTC report. TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabias Ministry of Tourism has launched Destination Tomorrow an in-person and online tourism investment conference taking place in Al-Ahsa, located in the Kingdoms Eastern Province. Held under the auspices of Prince Badr bin Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Jalawi Al Saud, Governor of Al-Ahsa, the conference aims to showcase Al-Ahsas beauty to the Kingdoms investors and international operators, while promoting the Saudi Arabias desire to do business with the rest of the world. The conference is holding sessions designed to demonstrate the value of investing in the region and discuss and promote the investment process. The two-day conference also features a tour of the regions Al Qarah Mountain. Prince Badr said: Destination Tomorrow in Al-Ahsa highlights the landmarks of our country and its tourism achievements. Al-Ahsa is a place where we celebrate sun, sand and water. It is one of the most promising, creative cities and was recently celebrated as the capital of Arab tourism in 2019. Al-Ahsa is on the World Heritage List, a worthy global recognition for its great historical value and archaeological sites. We are also proudly on the Unesco Creative Cities List in the field of handicrafts and folklore. Al-Ahsa will continue to grow with a sense of renewal with the aim to preserve its culture and heritage. He also extended his thanks to Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia; Princess Haifa Al Saud, Assistant Minister for Executive Affairs and Strategy; and to Prince Saud bin Nahar bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Minister for Tourism Activation. Princess Haifa said: Destination Tomorrow Al-Ahsa is the first in a series of tourism investment conferences that we will hold in tourist destinations that have been identified in the National Tourism Strategy. We are here to learn about what we need to enhance investment opportunities, overcome obstacles, and most of all, open a constructive dialogue with investors. The most beautiful thing about Al-Ahsa is its people who are ready to continue investing in the area. The foundations are already here to advance national tourism to international levels. The Ministry of Tourism, our partners throughout the sector and government agencies are here to listen, support and explore huge investment opportunities in the region. Together, we realize the importance of communicating with investors as we continue to work with them in order to develop and empower the tourism sector and ensure its growth and prosperity. The event will also see attendance from key government representatives, speakers from major hoteliers, including Accor, the Radisson Group and Intercontinental Hotel Group, and consulting bodies such as PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mahmoud Abdulhadi, Deputy Minister for Tourism Investment Attraction, said: This is a fantastic opportunity to help to create a constructive dialogue with all key stakeholders and generate a deeper understanding of Saudi Arabias tourism investment opportunities. By attracting tourism investment in the Kingdom, we can not only continue to build our tourism offering and support our Vision 2030 targets, but we can provide travelers and consumers with a greater choice. Destination Tomorrow Al-Ahsa builds on the Kingdoms strong track record of tourism investment attraction. The Ministry of Tourism is working with both private and public sector partners, internationally and domestically, to increase infrastructure and visitor capacity. In 2021, the Kingdom had $5 billion of committed capital coming into the tourism sector and increased airport capacity by 100,000 passengers per annum. Major hospitality players are investing heavily in Saudi to establish a first-class, luxury tourism infrastructure, with a target of over 55,000 additional hotel rooms by 2025 with considerable expansion from Accor, Louvre, IHG, Hilton and others. Most recently the Radisson Group announced the opening of a regional office in Saudi Arabia, in a meeting between Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia, and Radisson Group CEO, Federico Gonzalez. - TradeArabia News Service On 8 February, in Bridgetown, Barbados, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), alongside Col. Michael Jones, the Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS and H.E. Linda Taglialatela, United States Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean formally launched the WCOs Caribbean Customs Small Arms and Light Weapons and Narcotics Enforcement project which will be known as Project Hammer. The Project Hammer is a two-year project funded by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, US Department of State to deliver capacity building activities in the 14 CARICOM member states and the wider Caribbean region focused on Customs capability. The WCO Project Office was launched within the CARICOM IMPACS building in Bridgetown. Col. Jones thanked the WCO for its support and highlighted the importance of this project and how it opened the possibility for future cooperation between Customs and Caribbean regional bodies in relation to Customs and Security matters in the region. Col. Jones indicated that he anticipated that the relationship between CARICOM and the WCO would grow from strength to strength and looked forward to a long and lasting relationship between the WCO and CARICOM IMPACS. Dr. Mikuriya highlighted the risk that the Caribbean faced from the twin threats of narcotics and firearms trafficking and stated that Customs is uniquely placed to combat narcotics and firearms smuggling in the Caribbean. Through this capacity building project, Customs will be better enabled to address these threats and contribute to the goals of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap by reducing the illicit flow of firearms and ammunition into the region. Dr Mikuriya also thanked Col. Jones for providing an office and logistical support for the Project. US Ambassador to Barbados H.E. Linda S. Taglialatela highlighted the importance of Customs in combating the smuggling of firearms and narcotics, stating that, we cannot overlook the crucial security role of Customs officials. Customs does not just raise revenues from duties on the legitimate trade in goods. It is also our first line of defense against illicit goods. Early detection and coordination at the border addresses the twin threats of narcotics and weapons trafficking. Project Hammer will deliver the following capacity building areas to the beneficiary administrations: Capability assessments of the Customs enforcement and security procedures and facilities A series on virtual regional webinars to address skills, procedures and judicial action relating to effective detection and prosecution of narcotics and weapons trafficking Practical national training focused on detection staff at fast parcel and postal hubs Train-the-trainer programme for Customs Administration in SALW and Narcotics detection In-country follow up mentoring programme for detection skills The project marks the first detailed cooperation between WCO and CARICOM IMPACS and is part of a greater commitment by both parties to address wider border security threats in the Caribbean. The focus of this project will be on Customs and will seek to ensure that Customs are able to support broader national and regional counter-narcotics and counter-weapon trafficking activities. It also seeks to support the development of skills needed in relation to the identification and detection of suspect shipments during border control activities, and those skills relating to evidence collection, chain of custody for seized documentation/goods, investigations and prosecutions. The presence of a project office and project staff in the Caribbean enables these goals to be addressed more effectively with the support of CARICOM IMPACS and engage with other regional implementation partners such as Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC), and other implementers. Further information on the WCO Security Programme and the Small Arms and Light weapons Project can be found on the WCO website or at WCOSecurityProgramme@wcoomd.org. Fort Polk, LA (71446) Today Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. WINDHOEK, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The number of the only free-roaming black rhinos left in the world has declined since 2020, Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) said on Friday, citing drought as the biggest contributing factor. SRT Chief Executive Officer Simson Urikob told Xinhua that the numbers are now just over 100, down from the over 200 figure he gave in 2020. "Although we did not record any poaching cases last year, the drought situation did not change much, we lost so many cubs as well as older rhinos. The last poaching incident recorded on free-roaming black rhinos was in 2020 where four were poached," Urikob said. He said the drought situation has, however, started looking positive as the country is receiving more rain while they are also intensifying efforts to maintain their zero poaching incidence status. According to Urikob, community intelligence has contributed tremendously to keep away poachers. Namibia is the only country with the last free-roaming black rhinos in the world and is working hard to grow the numbers after nearly becoming extinct some years ago from poaching and drought. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- China and Cambodia on Tuesday signed an agreement on dispatching a team of traditional Chinese medicine experts to help Cambodia in the fight against COVID-19. The deal was inked in Phnom Penh between Huang Luqi, visiting vice-commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (NATCM), and Cambodia's Health Minister Mam Bunheng, under the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian. Speaking before the signing ceremony, Huang said the NATCM will send the team to Cambodia to carry out medical tasks at the Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital in Phnom Penh for one year. "During the period, the medical team will train qualified medical professionals from Cambodia's Ministry of Health, develop targeted training manual and courses for further education, and provide prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services on common diseases including COVID-19 for local people," he said. "I'm confident that this agreement will not only benefit Cambodian medical experts, but also make significant contributions to improve the well-being of Cambodian people," he added. Huang said the deal was signed in accordance with the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries in November, 2021. For his part, Bunheng said the pact will not only further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the fight against COVID-19, but also broaden cooperation in traditional medicine field. "This agreement is crucial to help strengthen the capacity of Cambodian health experts in treating COVID-19 patients more effectively with traditional Chinese medicines," he said. In Cambodia, Chinese patent medicines, namely Lianhua Qingwen capsules and Huashi Baidu granules, have been licensed to use for treating symptoms of COVID-19 patients. "Traditional Chinese medicines are efficacious for treating patients with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, cough and fever," Bunheng said, adding that he himself always used these medicines. According to the agreement, the NATCM will send the medical team comprising of not more than 50 capable professionals in clinical service and training to deliver medical service including traditional Chinese medicine and combination of Chinese and Western medicine at the Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital. Cambodia has well controlled the COVID-19 pandemic after most of the kingdom's population have been fully vaccinated against the disease. The Southeast Asian nation has reported zero deaths from the COVID-19 for three weeks straight, according to the Ministry of Health. The country registered 28 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the national total caseload to 121,094, with 3,015 deaths and 117,247 recoveries, the ministry said. Cambodia has so far administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to 14.33 million people, or 89.6 percent of its 16-million population, it said, adding that of them, 13.74 million, or 85.9 percent, are fully vaccinated with two required shots. Most of the vaccines used in the country's inoculation campaign are China's Sinovac and Sinopharm. COLOMBO, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Ministry of Trade said on Monday it has decided to import 100,000 tons of white rice from Myanmar to control the rising price of rice in local markets. The ministry said in a statement it planned to import the rice at 445 U.S. dollars per ton through the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation. It plans to import 20,000 tons of rice at a time and release it to the market gradually. The Ministry of Trade said it has requested the Central Bank to issue the required foreign exchange for the import of the rice. Imports of rice in Sri Lanka are usually limited to small quantities, especially rice such as Basmati, officials said. Press Release February 9, 2022 Bong Go calls for clean and credible elections; says country needs leader who can build on Duterte legacy As the campaign period for national positions starts on February 8, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go appealed to candidates, their supporters and the public to strive for a peaceful, clean and credible 2022 national and local elections. Go emphasized the need to uphold the sanctity of the ballot as he encouraged Filipinos to actively participate in the democratic process. He especially urged them to report any incident of violence, fraud and other violations of the election code. "As citizens, our biggest responsibility is to exercise our right to vote. When we vote, we give ourselves a chance for our voices to be heard by choosing leaders who not only share our ideals but who will also uplift the lives of our people and carry out our aspirations for our nation," said the lawmaker. Go told voters to choose their leaders wisely by scrutinizing their characters, platforms and track records. As senator and former Special Assistant to the President, he spoke of the enormous difficulties of being a public servant which demands strength of character, professionalism and non-stop hard work throughout one's term. "Let us remember that we must vote for leaders who cannot only unite the nation but also deliver on their promises. As such, we must thoroughly scrutinize their character, their priorities as well as their intentions on why they want to be the next leaders of our country," continued Go. "What is at stake here is not only our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic but also the future of our nation and the next generation of Filipinos," he underscored. The senator then praised President Rodrigo Duterte for his fast and decisive actions in times of crises. The President, he noted, successfully laid a solid foundation for the future by enacting the Universal Health Care Act which aims to guarantee care for all Filipinos through a single-payer healthcare system. He also signed the Malasakit Centers Act, which Go primarily authored and sponsored in the Senate, that has assisted an estimated three million poor and indigent patients in need of convenient access to the medical assistance programs of the government. Moreover, under the Duterte Administration, the Philippines entered a golden age in infrastructure development through reform initiatives such as the 'Build, Build, Build' program. Millions of jobs were created and the economy improved due to bold policies like the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law which helped ensure steady revenue flow to fund massive investments, and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act which reduced corporate income taxes for micro, small and medium enterprises. In addition, the President led a vigorous nationwide campaign against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption; doubled the salaries of all uniformed personnel; and established the 8888 Citizens Complaints Center that has resulted in safer streets as well as a more effective, responsive and transparent government, among others. "With all the many beneficial projects, programs and initiatives that President Duterte has undertaken, it is important that we choose a successor who will build on his gains and not destroy them," said Go. "I thus implore our voters to carefully choose who among the candidates can sustain this legacy, pursue these endeavors further, and usher in a new era of growth and prosperity. Of course, it is imperative that the next leader must continue the Duterte Administration's efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic," he added. On this note, the senator encouraged the public to get vaccinated as the government rolls out vaccinations to children aged 5 to 11 beginning February 7. The vaccinations, which will require special pediatric dosing instructions, will begin in select sites in Metro Manila before expanding nationwide the following week. "These vaccines are crucial to achieving our goal of protecting every Filipino and will allow us to safely reopen schools and public spaces as well as ensure the full recovery of our economy," reminded Go, who currently heads the Senate Committee on Health. "The President and I have always believed that this nation is destined for a brighter future. With your participation, cooperation, and of course, your duty to choose who will lead our nation, I am sure that we will be victorious from our present challenges and emerge as a stronger and more united nation," he added. KRATIE, Cambodia, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia inaugurated a Chinese-funded stretch of National Road No. 7 on Monday, which connects rural and urban areas in Northeastern province. Linking between Kratie provincial town and Sambour district, the 93.5-km-long and 11-meter-wide road was built by the Shanghai Construction Group under the grant aid from the Chinese government, and it took 24 months to be completed. Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian presided over the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by more than 1,000 people. Speaking at the event, Hun Sen said the construction had been made after the road had been devastated by floods in past years and that the road would greatly contribute to improving the livelihoods of local people. "China's grant aid for the repair of this road has importantly contributed to connectivity in Cambodia's northeastern region," he said. "COVID-19 has disrupted but cannot stop our development." He also thanked the Shanghai Construction Group for building the road in good compliance with technical standards. Ambassador Wang is confident that the road will play an important role in reducing poverty in the northeastern region of Cambodia effectively. "It is a new testament to the development of China-Cambodia friendship and the community with a shared future between China and Cambodia," he said. "China is very pleased to assist Cambodia in its socio-economic development and to further deepen the ironclad friendship with Cambodia." Palestinians carry the bodies of three men killed by Israeli soldiers outside the Rafidia Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Feb. 8, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) Israel claimed that three Palestinians killed in the West Bank are "armed terrorists," while the Palestinian side urged the international community to "condemn the awful crime" and investigate the killings. JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Israel confirmed on Tuesday its forces killed three Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during an alleged "operation to thwart a terror cell." The three men were "armed terrorists who were ... killed during clashes with the security forces," Israel's Border Police announced. Earlier in the day, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said in a statement that Israeli soldiers shot dead three Palestinian men in al-Makhfeya neighborhood in the city of Nablus. People gather around a car belonging to three Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Feb. 8, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) Israel's Shin Bet security service claimed in a separate statement that the three killed Palestinians were responsible for several recent shooting attacks against the Israel Defense Forces and Israeli civilians, adding that the Israeli forces suffered no casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett tweeted that "those who harm us will be harmed." On the other side, Palestine called on the international community to investigate the Israeli killing, as its cabinet called on the United Nations, the human rights organizations and the international law organizations to "condemn the awful crime and act." People gather around a car belonging to three Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Feb. 8, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) According to a statement issued by the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, an armed wing of the Fatah movement led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the three men are members of the group and "heroic martyrs." Recent weeks have seen a sharp rise in violence of Jewish settlers against the Palestinians and Palestinian property in the West Bank, as well as Palestinian attacks against Israeli forces and settlers. A mother mourns his son, one of three Palestinian men killed by Israeli soldiers, outside the Rafidia Hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus, on Feb. 8, 2022. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua) Retrieved artifacts are displayed at a museum in Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 8, 2022. The Iraqi authorities on Monday retrieved from Lebanon 337 ancient artifacts which were looted after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) BAGHDAD, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi authorities on Monday retrieved from Lebanon 337 ancient artifacts which were looted after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Among the retrieved artifacts are 331 cuneiform tablets dating back to the Akkadian Empire and other early dynasties more than 4,000 years ago, while the remaining six date from the Old Babylonian Empire more than 3000 years ago, said Laith Hussein, head of the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage, at a press conference. The 337 artifacts were retrieved from the private Nabu Museum in Lebanon, he added. Late in 2021, Iraq announced the recovery of 17,916 looted and smuggled antiquities from the United States and European countries, including tablets dating back to 4,500 years ago and bearing cuneiform inscriptions documenting the trade exchanges during the Sumerian civilization. More antiquities will soon be retrieved from several European countries, and "we will continue to work to recover the last artifact outside Iraq," Hussein noted. A day earlier, Lebanese Culture Ministry handed over to Iraq the 337 ancient artifacts that had been on display in a Lebanese museum for years after confirming they belong to Iraq, according to the Iraqi official. According to the official statistics, about 15,000 pieces of cultural relics from the Stone Age, the Babylonian, Assyrian, and Islamic periods were stolen or destroyed by looters after Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled by U.S.-led troops in 2003. The Mosul Museum and the ancient cities of Hatra and Nimrud were destroyed and large numbers of antiquities smuggled after the Islamic State militants took control of large territories in northern and western Iraq in 2014. More than 10,000 sites in Iraq are officially recognized as archaeological sites, but most of them are not safeguarded and many still being looted. Retrieved artifacts are displayed at a museum in Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 8, 2022. The Iraqi authorities on Monday retrieved from Lebanon 337 ancient artifacts which were looted after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) A cuneiform tablet is displayed at a museum in Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 8, 2022. The Iraqi authorities on Monday retrieved from Lebanon 337 ancient artifacts which were looted after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) A photographer takes photos of retrieved artifacts at a museum in Baghdad, Iraq, Feb. 8, 2022. The Iraqi authorities on Monday retrieved from Lebanon 337 ancient artifacts which were looted after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- China will make six manned space flights in 2022 to complete the building of its space station and see the maiden flight of Long March-6A, the country's first carrier rocket powered by a solid and liquid engine. Ma Tao, deputy director of the Space Department of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), revealed on Wednesday China's rocket launch plan at a press conference. CASC, China's rocket series developer and the leading force of the country's space industry, released the 2021 Blue Book of China Aerospace Science and Technology. China carried out 55 space launch missions in 2021, with this number ranking first in the world, and its total mass of spacecraft launched reached 191.19 tonnes, an 85.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to the blue book. The CASC brought 103 aircraft into space with 48 launches in 2021, said He Yang, director of Beijing Institute of Space Science and Technology Information, at the press conference. The country's other successful space missions last year included three launches by the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket and one launch by the CERES-1 carrier rocket, according to He. In 2021, the world saw 146 space launches, the highest number since 1957, with 1,846 spacecraft launched into space. The United States carried out 51 space launch missions in 2021, with the total mass of spacecraft launched reaching 403.34 tonnes, according to the blue book. A girl with a pattern of the national flag of Iran on her forehead. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz) The ministers expressed support for a quick revival of the JCPOA in its original form. MOSCOW, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian agreed in a telephone conversation Tuesday on the urgent need to fully restore the Iran nuclear deal. They discussed the situation around the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) amid the ongoing talks in Vienna over the landmark deal, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministers expressed support for a quick revival of the JCPOA in its original form. Lavrov and Amir Abdollahian also exchanged views on the recent visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Moscow, and reassured their readiness to foster cooperation in a wide range of fields. Talks on the revival of the JCPOA resumed in Vienna on Tuesday. The current eighth round of negotiations will focus on discussing "the prospect of a possible return of the United States to the JCPOA and how to ensure the full and effective implementation of the agreement by all sides," according to a statement published by the European External Action Service. BEIRUT, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Energy Envoy Amos Hochstein said on Tuesday that gaps have narrowed between Lebanon and Israel regarding maritime border demarcation. "There is an opportunity today... We can reach an agreement, but we will not conclude it ourselves, as Lebanon and Israel must decide to do so," Hochstein said in an interview with Lebanese MTV local TV channel. The U.S. official arrived in Beirut on Tuesday to look into ways to resume talks over Lebanese-Israeli maritime border demarcation. In 2020, Israel and Lebanon began U.S.-mediated negotiations concerning their maritime border, but talks stalled when Lebanon expanded its demands, increasing the disputed area from 860 square km to 2,300 square km to include part of the Karish North field, initially claimed by Israel. BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to keep coal prices stable, according to the country's top economic planner and energy department. The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration on Wednesday held a meeting to make further plans to stabilize coal prices. The meeting issued warnings to companies that charged exorbitant coal prices and asked them to make rectifications. Coal producers also should step up efforts to ensure coal supplies, the meeting said. For those that fail to rectify any outstanding problems after being issued reminders, further investigation and accountability measures will be taken, the meeting said. Local authorities should enhance their monitoring and maintain coal prices in a reasonable range, according to the meeting. File photo taken on Nov. 25, 2021 shows U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff making phone calls at the Vice President's Residence in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Lawrence Jackson/White House/Handout via Xinhua) The incident came one week after more than a dozen historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) around the the United States received bomb threats. WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. second gentleman Doug Emhoff was escorted out of an event at a high school here on Tuesday afternoon due to a bomb threat. Emhoff, married to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, was visiting Dunbar High School to celebrate Black History Month, dedicated to honoring achievements and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history. He was attending a presentation at around 2:20 p.m. ET (1920 GMT) when Secret Service agents ushered him off stage and out of the building. Teachers and students at the school were ordered to evacuate shortly afterwards. A spokesperson for D.C. Public Schools told a reporter at the scene there "was a bomb threat" reported at the school. Kamala Harris (C-R) and her husband Doug Emhoff arrive to attend the inauguration ceremony of the 46th President of the United States in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Jan. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "We had a threat today to the facility," District of Columbia Public Schools press secretary Enrique Gutierrez explained. "Basically we took the precaution of evacuating everybody, as you saw. I think everyone is safe." "The building is clear. But I don't have any specific details at this moment," Gutierrez said. The incident came one week after more than a dozen historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) around the the United States received bomb threats. More than 90 percent of Dunbar High School's students are African Americans, according to the D.C. School Superintendent's website. A law enforcement official has said the FBI has identified six persons of interest around the country, all juveniles, who are suspected of making the threats against the HBCUs. The official added they appear to be "tech savvy," using sophisticated methods to try to disguise the source of the threats, which appear to have a racist motivation. Aerial photo shows staff members inspecting a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) A staff member inspects a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) Staff members inspect a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) Aerial photo shows a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) A staff member inspects a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) Aerial photo shows a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) A staff member inspects a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) Aerial photo shows staff members inspecting a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) Aerial photo shows a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) Aerial photo shows a photovoltaic (PV) power station in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Feb. 8, 2022. Parts of Qinghai are faced with temperature drop and snowfall recently. Staff members of a power company enhanced the inspection of the PV power station to maintain the power supply during bad weather. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) File photo taken on Nov. 25, 2021 shows U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff making phone calls at the Vice President's Residence in Washington, D.C., the United States. U.S. second gentleman Doug Emhoff was escorted out of an event at a high school here due to a bomb threat on Feb. 8, 2022. (Lawrence Jackson/White House/Handout via Xinhua) WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. second gentleman Doug Emhoff was escorted out of an event at a high school here on Tuesday afternoon due to a bomb threat. Emhoff, married to U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, was visiting Dunbar High School to celebrate Black History Month, dedicated to honoring achievements and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history. He was attending a presentation at around 2:20 p.m. ET (1920 GMT) when Secret Service agents ushered him off stage and out of the building. Teachers and students at the school were ordered to evacuate shortly afterwards. A spokesperson for D.C. Public Schools told a reporter at the scene there "was a bomb threat" reported at the school. "We had a threat today to the facility," District of Columbia Public Schools press secretary Enrique Gutierrez explained. "Basically we took the precaution of evacuating everybody, as you saw. I think everyone is safe." "The building is clear. But I don't have any specific details at this moment," Gutierrez said. The incident came one week after more than a dozen historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) around the the United States received bomb threats. More than 90 percent of Dunbar High School's students are African Americans, according to the D.C. School Superintendent's website. A law enforcement official has said the FBI has identified six persons of interest around the country, all juveniles, who are suspected of making the threats against the HBCUs. The official added they appear to be "tech savvy," using sophisticated methods to try to disguise the source of the threats, which appear to have a racist motivation. File photo taken on Nov. 25, 2021 shows U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff making phone calls at the Vice President's Residence in Washington, D.C., the United States. U.S. second gentleman Doug Emhoff was escorted out of an event at a high school here due to a bomb threat on Feb. 8, 2022. (Lawrence Jackson/White House/Handout via Xinhua) Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body Auburn Universitys Southeastern Raptor Center recently released a rehabilitated 5-year-old bald eagle into the wild at Lake Guntersville State Park. Its a great honor and privilege for the raptor center team to give injured, ill and orphaned raptors a second chance at living a full life back in the wild and to continue to contribute to the wild populations of those species, said Stephanie Kadletz, raptor rehabilitation specialist. Its especially important with such species as the majestic bald eagle that was once endangered in the United States. The eagle had been transferred in September to the raptor center after being found unable to fly in Marshall County. A physical exam by center veterinarians found several primary flight feathers broken in half, as well as possible soft tissue damage. The extent of the damaged feathers required imping, a process that joins a broken feather to a replacement by inserting into the shaft of both feathers a thin piece of bamboo, metal wire or other material and applying a bit of adhesive, according to the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. In this case, raptor rehabilitation specialists used the birds own broken feather quill to attach the new feathers. Imping isnt painful for a bird since, like human hair or fingernails, feathers are dead structures made of the protein keratin. The raptor center, a division of Auburns College of Veterinary Medicine, partnered on the procedure with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Audubon Center, which provided the donor feathers. The donor feathers came from a patient that did not make it, but with them we were able to let another bird fly free, Kadletz said. It is very symbolic to us that, even though one patient didnt make it, the raptor is still able to contribute to its species survival in the wild through the use of its feathers. Once the imping was concluded, the raptor center staff observed that the eagle soon recovered full flight capability. After the imping process we made sure the eagle was adapted to its new set of feathers and was able to fly perfectly, Kadletz said. We continued to monitor its imped feathers and flight ability until we were able to release it a few weeks later near the original rescue location. Lake Guntersville State Park was able to host the release of the eagle at a beautiful site within the park. On average, the Southeastern Raptor Center admits annually more than 350 raptors from across Georgia and Alabama. The centers mission is to rehabilitate and release injured and orphaned raptors if possible, educate the public about these magnificent birds of prey and research raptor-related issues. Approximately 35% of the raptors brought each year to the center are eventually rehabilitated and released back into their natural habitats. Financial donations to help support the Southeastern Raptor Center can be made online or by contacting the colleges Advancement office at giving@vetmed.auburn.edu or 334-844-1446. (Mike Jernigan) BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Gan Rongkun, a former senior official of central China's Henan Province, has been indicted on charges of taking bribes, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Wednesday. Gan had been a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Henan Provincial Committee and secretary of the political and legal affairs commission of the provincial Party committee, the SPP said in a statement. Gan's case has been filed by the People's Procuratorate of Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, to the city's intermediate people's court. The indictment charged Gan with taking advantage of his various posts at the General Administration of Customs of China and Beijing Customs as well as in provinces of Hubei, Heilongjiang and Henan to seek benefits for others and accepting huge sums of money and gifts in return. The prosecutors had informed the defendant of his litigation rights, interrogated him and listened to the defense counsel's opinions, the SPP said. BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- China strictly abides by international rules and Chinese laws in its import and export of chemicals, said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wednesday. Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks when asked to comment on a report published by the U.S. Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking Tuesday, which said that Mexico is the principal source of illicit fentanyl in the U.S., and that some suppliers from China are supplying Mexico with non-scheduled fentanyl precursors. In response, spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily press briefing that China adopts strict measures to regulate anesthetics, psychotropics and precursor chemicals. He said China has scheduled 31 types of precursor chemicals and one ephedrine substance, outnumbering that of the United Nations. "The international community has witnessed China's efforts and achievements. It demonstrates the Chinese government's responsibility to participate in global drug control and safeguard world security and stability," said the spokesperson. He said the responsibility to prevent non-scheduled chemicals from entering into drug production rests with the import country. As is known to all, said the spokesperson, China announced the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances as a class on May 1, 2019, while the U.S. has not yet taken permanent measures so far although it is a major country of chemical raw materials. The U.S. confounds right with wrong and persistently deflects blame and makes an issue out of non-scheduled substances. Such blameshifting is highly irresponsible to the American people. KIEV, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- High-level diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions around Ukraine have been stepped up in recent weeks, with Western leaders engaging in rounds of meetings over the Ukraine-Russia crisis. French President Emmanuel Macron this week is on a diplomatic tour of national capitals. He met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday to discuss the Ukraine crisis and security issue in Europe, before heading to the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev on Tuesday. At a joint press conference with Putin following their hours-long talks in the Kremlin, Macron said that he believes there is still an opportunity to find a peaceful path for Europe, where new mechanisms are needed to ensure security and existing pacts are preserved. Putin at the briefing said Russia's core concerns on security were ignored by the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), while the military alliance attempts to lecture Russia on where and how to place its armed forces. Putin reiterated Russia's opposition to NATO's eastward expansion, adding that Kiev refuses to comply with the 2015 Minsk agreements on a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian issue and is even attempting to dismantle the deals. Several Western countries have accused Moscow of having amassed troops near the Ukrainian border, stoking fears of a Russian "invasion." Moscow denied the accusation, saying that Russia has the right to mobilize troops within its borders to defend its territory as NATO's activities constitute a threat to Russia's border security. At a news conference with Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced his hope that the next meeting of leaders of the Normandy Four, which includes Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia, would take place "in the near future." "An important step in this direction is the intensification of dialogue at the level of political advisers. We hope that the meeting in Paris, which took place on Jan. 26, 2022, and the upcoming talks in Berlin will bring us closer to holding the Normandy Summit," Zelensky was quoted as saying by his press service. In a meeting with visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden threatened to "bring an end to" Nord Stream 2, a key Russian natural gas pipeline to Germany, if Russia invades Ukraine. On his first trip to Washington since becoming chancellor, Scholz said, "We will act together. And we will take all the necessary steps, and all the necessary steps will be done by all of us together." Scholz will be in Moscow and Kiev next week for talks with Putin and Zelensky. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that Biden plans to engage with Macron "soon," adding that "we will continue to be in very close contact with our French counterparts" over the ongoing crisis, as Macron and Biden had spoken twice in the past week. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed the crisis with Putin in a telephone conversation on Feb. 2. According to a statement published on the British government's website, the leaders agreed that an escalation of the situation was "in no one's interest." The prime minister stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy, and the need to include Ukraine in talks, the statement said. Johnson met with Zelensky on Feb. 1 in Kiev, where the two leaders discussed several security issues, including Russia's military buildup along the border with Ukraine. Some Ukrainian experts pinned their hopes on the high-level talks to defuse the tensions around Ukraine. "The key goals of the parties are somewhat different, but there is a gradual convergence of the agendas," Igar Tyshkevich, an expert with the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, told Xinhua. What's it like to work as a rescuer at a ski resort in Xinjiang, China? Tarhat Satar has experienced great changes in his life over the past decades. Now he's eyeing for the Winter Olympics. Find out why. #GLOBALink Produced by Xinhua Global Service COPENHAGEN, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has tested positive for COVID-19, the Royal House said on Wednesday. In a press release, the Royal House said the queen tested positive on Tuesday night and showed "only mild symptoms." "The Queen is now staying in Christian IX's Palace at Amalienborg in Copenhagen," it said. The queen, who marked 50 years on the throne in January, had intended to begin a winter vacation in Norway on Wednesday. However, the positive test has now forced the cancellation of the trip. According to Danish news agency Ritzau, the queen has received three vaccinations against the coronavirus, with the final one in late November 2021. Denmark has lifted almost all domestic restrictions against COVID-19 since Feb. 1 this year. TEHRAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- A top Iranian security official said Tuesday that Iran won't be able to gain economic benefits from restoring a 2015 nuclear deal unless the United States effectively lifts sanctions against Iran. Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani tweeted that since Iran's economic and technological sectors and capacities are integrated, the removal of the sanctions should be equal to all of them. Otherwise, he noted, it would be impossible for Iran to reap economic benefits from the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as experience has shown. The U.S. administration has failed to reach its goal via imposing 'maximum pressure' sanctions, and as long as Washington harbors the illusion that "unsupported promises" would work, the path to achieving an agreement in the Vienna talks will not be smooth, Shamkhani said in a separate tweet. Under the nuclear agreement reached in June 2015, Iran accepted some restrictions on its nuclear program in return for the removal of the Western sanctions. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from the deal unilaterally in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Iran, which retaliated by scrapping some of its commitments. Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in the Austrian capital of Vienna between Iran and major parties to the deal, in a bid to restore the deal. The U.S. has been indirectly involved in the talks. TEHRAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Tuesday that Iranian media should take on the "absolute and immediate duty" to confront what he called the Western media's invasion. Khamenei made the remarks during a meeting with the Iranian air force commanders, according to Khamenei's website. Khamenei said that the definite policy of the Western media hostile to Islam and Iran is to distort the realities through telling "professional lies." The top Iranian leader accused the Western media of trying by all means to distort the realities of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and its founder, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, while denying the revolution's advancements and positive aspects. He said media dictatorship is a type of despotism set up and used by Western powers despite their claimed freedom of speech, which is evident in the removal of Qassem Soleimani's name from major social media platforms. Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, was assassinated by the U.S. with a drone strike near the Baghdad International Airport on Jan. 3, 2020. Khamenei called on all Iranians, particularly the officials of the state media and media outlets owners, to report the country's true realities and achievements to counteract the enemy's tactics. Citizens purchase red lanterns at a festive fair in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jan. 29, 2022. The Spring Festival falls on Feb. 1 this year. (Photo by Liu Yufei/Xinhua) YINCHUAN, Feb. 9 (Xinhua)-- As a Pakistani son-in-law in China, Murad Haider, 36, is quite familiar with the Spring Festival as he spent this Lunar New Year's Eve just like before: watching the Spring Festival Gala, making dumplings and enjoying a family reunion dinner. "I made dumplings quite well, and it's fantastic for family members to build stronger family ties during the family reunion dinner," said Haider. Murad comes from northeast Pakistan's Rawalpindi, a city near the capital Islamabad. He has lived in Yinchuan, the capital city of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, for about 15 years since he came to Ningxia University for Chinese language learning in 2007. After obtaining his master's degree, Haider also harvested his sweet love for this foreign country and got married to a Ningxia local in 2013. As a centuries-long tradition in China, the Spring Festival, also known as Chinese Lunar New Year, is a significant occasion for family reunions. Haider, deeply influenced by the traditional Chinese culture, used to travel back to Pakistan with his wife and 7-year-old daughter during the festival, and he would do the same this year if it were not for the pandemic. "I haven't reunited with my family in Pakistan for two years," said the man. "I miss them, but I'm not lonely at all, because I have family and friends in Ningxia too." Just like Murad Haider, Nawaz Shah, hailing from northwest Pakistan's Malakand, is another China hand. He has been studying and living in China for 11 years and is now a postgraduate student at Ningxia Medical University. Nawaz Shah has been to over 20 cities across China. He visited Harbin Ice-Snow World and was impressed with the vivid ice sculptures. He also traveled to south China's Hainan Province for a trip which he described as "entering warm spring after a three-hour flight in a thick down jacket." He is quite familiar with China, as well as the Spring Festival. Nawaz Shah recalled the big surprise of receiving a red packet when he was invited to a friend's home in a village of central China's Henan Province. "I know the Chinese elders would give the young generation lucky money or red packets during the festival, but I hadn't expected I could have one," said Nawaz Shah. "I felt touched and would never forget the day." Zafar Iqbal, a Pakistani expert in Ningxia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, was also impressed about the big day for the Chinese. Because of the pandemic, he also chose to stay in China during the Spring Festival holiday. "I have experienced and witnessed many spring festivals during my stay in Ningxia. During the festival, people would exchange gifts, give red packets, visit friends and spend a joyful time with family members," said Iqbal. Having worked in many places in Europe, Africa and Asia, he still likes China's Ningxia best. "Ningxia has a beautiful landscape, spanning from wetlands to mountains, rivers to deserts, green fields to well established and well planned city centers. Everything looks to me like a wonderland." This year, Iqbal spent the festival with his Chinese friends, enjoying pleasant chat time just like their family members. In order to help the foreigners enrich their holiday life, the regional government of Ningxia has organized a series of celebration activities, inviting foreign experts to experience traditional Chinese art including paper-cutting and ink painting. "I experienced paper cutting this year, it feels to me like a wonderful piece of art which I experienced for the first time in my life," said Zafar Iqbal. "I also tried to hold the pen and write the Chinese characters, and to play traditional Chinese music instruments. That was so much fun." Along with the celebrations, the Pakistanis didn't forget to make new year's wishes. Zafar Iqbal hopes that the pandemic could go away so that he could go back to Pakistan for a family reunion, while Nawaz Shah wishes he could be like a tiger with a stronger body and will, and achieve academic excellence. "I hope my families could live a happy life, and wish them good health and wealth," smiled Murad Haider. HONG KONG, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Wednesday strongly condemned a totally erroneous statement issued by the British government in the name of a number of foreign entities under the so-called "Media Freedom Coalition" concerning the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong. "We express our deep regret and must rebuke those foreign entities for signing a 'media freedom-related' statement that contained no more than the usual fact-twisting and opinionated attacks against the National Security Law in Hong Kong," said a spokesperson for the HKSAR government. It is baseless for the statement signatories to make such allegations that Hong Kong authorities have targeted and suppressed independent media in the HKSAR since the enactment of the national security law in Hong Kong, the spokesperson said. Contrary to their allegations, the implementation of the national security law has restored stability in society and the people of Hong Kong are no longer threatened or intimidated by acts or activities endangering national security or their everyday life, according to the spokesperson. Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the HKSAR government has been firmly committed to safeguarding the freedoms of the press and speech, both of which are protected under the HKSAR Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson pointed out that according to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the exercising of the freedoms of the press and speech must comply with the restrictions of the national security law for reasons including protection of national security. "We must reiterate that all law enforcement actions taken by Hong Kong law enforcement agencies under the national security law in Hong Kong, or indeed any local legislation, are based on evidence, strictly according to the law and for the acts of the persons or entities concerned, and have nothing to do with their occupation, background or political stance," the spokesperson said, noting, "The law enforcement actions taken by the HKSAR government against Stand News adhered to such fundamental principles." "The media landscape in Hong Kong is as vibrant as ever," the spokesperson said, citing an increase in the number of registered media organizations after the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong. "As always, the media can exercise their right to monitor the HKSAR government's work, and their freedom of commenting on or even criticizing government policies remains uninhibited as long as this is not in violation of the law," said the spokesperson. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday that he is encouraged by the recent engagement between senior Israeli and Palestinian officials. Arguing that "piecemeal approaches" to the question of Palestine would only ensure that the "underlying issues perpetuating the conflict remain unaddressed," the UN chief urged both sides to "expand these contacts." "Unilateral steps and illegal actions that drive the conflict must cease. Incitement to violence will lead nowhere and must be rejected by all," he told the 2022 opening session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. According to the top UN official, the situation continues to pose a significant challenge to international peace and security. "Political, economic and security conditions across the Occupied Palestinian Territory are deteriorating as Palestinians experience high levels of dispossession, violence and insecurity," Guterres said. The secretary-general urged the international community to stimulate "urgent" efforts for resolution of the conflict and ending of the occupation in compliance with UN resolutions, international law, and bilateral agreements. He reiterated the goal of two states "living side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders," based on the pre-1967 lines, with Jerusalem as their shared capital. "There is no plan B," he noted. The UN chief remains concerned with territory-wide violence, including with settlers and during military operations, that have led to numerous deaths. In Gaza, Guterres called on all sides to stop hostilities and support the growth of the economy. As a result of ongoing illegal settlements, demolitions and evictions, he said the situation is feeding hopelessness, animosity, and diminishing prospects for a negotiated solution. "All settlement activity is illegal. It must stop," he said. Guterres stressed the importance of improving the economic and humanitarian situation in Palestine as the international community works to revive the political process. He highlighted support for the UN Humanitarian Flash Appeal, ongoing reconstruction efforts in Gaza, and COVID-19 response. Despite these efforts, he remained concerned about the "dire" fiscal situation facing the Palestinian Authority, saying it undermines its ability to provide its people with services. South Africa: Tembisa Hospital temporarily closed after fatal shooting The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) has advised members of the public who need to access health care services at Tembisa Hospital today, to visit other health facilities, as the hospital remains inaccessible following a fatal shooting incident. The incident has left both patients and staff members in shock. According to the department, patients currently admitted at the facility continue to receive care. Members of the public will be notified when the facility reopens later today. Just after 08:00 this morning, a 30-year-old police officer entered the hospital driving a State vehicle with blue lights on and parked at the Accident and Emergency Departments parking lot. The man then called his 30-year-old partner, who was on duty at the time, to come to the parking lot. Upon arrival, the police officer opened fire on the Enrolled Nursing Assistant and then turned the gun on himself. Unfortunately, the nurse died on the scene while the police officer is currently in a critical condition. Given the tragic incident, Tembisa Hospital is currently not in a position to receive the public into the facility and is diverting calls to nearby facilities. This will allow the police to work on the scene of the incident and for the debriefing and counselling of both staff and patients. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-02-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States competes in the women's snowboard cross final of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province, Feb. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua) Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States, the most decorated snowboard cross athlete of all time, claims the women's snowboard cross gold at Beijing 2022. CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Lindsey Jacobellis of the United States claimed the women's snowboard cross title at Beijing 2022 here on Wednesday. Chloe Trespeuch from France took the silver and Canadian Meryeta Odine came in third. A six-time world champion and 10-time X Games title holder, Jacobellis is the most decorated snowboard cross athlete of all time. Jacobellis is the only snowboard cross athlete, male or female, to have competed in every Olympic Winter Games since the introduction of this event at Torino 2006. Although she has always been one of the favorites to win the Olympic title, she has only achieved one silver at four consecutive Games. At Torino 2006, while she was in the lead for almost the entire final, on the second to last jump she pulled off a backside air, lost her balance and fell, letting Swiss Tanja Frieden win gold. "This feels incredible because this level that all the women are riding at is a lot higher than it was 16 years ago. So I felt like I was a winner just that I made it into finals, because that's been a challenge every time," said Jacobellis. "All these ladies out here have the potential to win and today it just worked out for me that my starts were good, that my gliding was great, and everything just worked for me today," she added. As one of the most dangerous events of the Winter Olympics, snowboard cross is always accompanied with accidents and injuries. Vendula Hopjakova from the Czech Republic fell down and slid out of the course in the seventh group run of the round of 16 after a board collision with Paul Kristina from the Russian Olympic Committee. China's only participant Feng He did not reach the quarterfinals. "It is the first time for me to take part in the Winter Olympics. I am excited rather than nervous. I slipped a lot during my training sessions, but I have overcome the horror in my heart. I will be more devoted to be stronger in future training," she said. Iran unveils "Kheibar Shekan" missile on Feb. 9, 2022. (Photo/IRNA) TEHRAN, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran will continue its development of missile power to deter its enemies, Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, said on Wednesday. Making the remarks in the unveiling ceremony of a ballistic missile in the capital Tehran, Bagheri said that the missile power against aggressors and oppressors of the Islamic republic has become more powerful and "will continue its path of growth, promotion and excellence both in terms of quantity and quality," official news agency IRNA reported. Iran unveils "Kheibar Shekan" missile on Feb. 9, 2022. (Photo/IRNA) Earlier in the day, Iran unveiled a ballistic missile named Kheibar Shekan with the range of 1,450 kilometers, as the country is celebrating the 43rd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. It belongs to the third generation of long-range missiles owned by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), reported Iran's Tasnim news agency. The missile uses solid fuel and is capable of maneuverability to pass through the missile shield in the landing phase, according to the report. The United States has long suspected that Iran's development of ballistic missiles might add to their capability of carrying nuclear heads. Iran, which has repeatedly said that its nuclear program is peaceful, insists that its missile program is for deterrent purposes. JERUSALEM, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Ministry of Transport and Road Safety announced on Wednesday the country's first certification for unmanned aircraft vehicles (UAVs) to operate in civilian airspace. The certification was issued by the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to the Hermes Starliner unmanned system, which was developed and manufactured by Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense electronics company. "I am proud that Israel becomes the first country which allows UAVs to operate for the benefit of agriculture, the environment, the fight against crime, the public and the economy," said Israeli Transport and Road Safety Minister Merav Michaeli. The approval will allow Elbit's drone to fly in civilian airspace like any other civilian airliner, rather than being restricted to unsegregated airspace. The Hermes Starliner, which has a wingspan of 17 meters and weighs 1.6 tons, can fly for up to 36 hours at an altitude of about 7,600 meters, and can carry an additional 450 kg of electro-optical, thermal, radar, and other payloads. It will be able to participate in border security and anti-terror operations, take part in securing mass public events, perform maritime search and rescue, perform commercial aviation and environmental inspection missions, as well as precision agriculture work. The CAA has supervised the design and manufacturing of the Hermes Starliner and led a rigorous six-year certification process that included extensive ground and flight tests. For safety reasons, international aviation regulations prohibit uncertified aircraft from flying in civilian airspace, limiting the operation of UAVs to unsegregated airspace. ADEN, Yemen, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- A total of 36 Yemeni people were killed by explosives during the first month of 2022 across the war-torn Arab country, a government official told Xinhua. "Unexploded ordnance and landmines, including Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), killed 36 people and maimed more than 37 others in January," the local government source said on condition of anonymity. He clarified that most of the incidents occurred in the turbulent Yemeni provinces of Shabwa, Hodeidah, al-Jawf and Marib that witnessed ferocious fighting. Meanwhile, the Yemen Data Project, a non-governmental organization, reported "139 deaths and 287 injuries as a result of Saudi coalition bombings, bringing the total number of killed and injured to almost 19,000 since Saudi Arabia began bombing the Houthis in Yemen in March 2015." Following the Houthi retaliatory attacks against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key partner of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, January saw a surge in air raid rates, according to the project. Intense battles are still going on between the Yemeni government forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the Houthi fighters aligned with Iran in many areas of the poorest Arab country. 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. RAMALLAH, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Central Council (PCC) on Wednesday decided to terminate the commitment of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to all agreements signed with Israel. The announcement was made at the end of the three-day PCC meetings held in the West Bank city of Ramallah. "In view of Israel's ongoing denial of the signed agreements, the PCC decided to terminate the obligations of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority of all agreements signed with Israel," the statement said, adding that Israel's persistence in accelerating the confiscation of the Palestinian land also contributed to the decision. The statement said that Israel "is trying to obstruct the achievement of the independence and sovereignty of the Palestinian people on their land in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy." "The PCC decided to suspend the recognition of the State of Israel until it recognizes the independent state of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the cessation of settlements," said the statement. The decision also included suspending various forms of security coordination with Israel and rejecting economic peace projects and confidence-building measures that Israel proposed as an alternative to a permanent and just peace. Recent weeks have seen a sharp rise in violence of Jewish settlers against the Palestinians and Palestinian property in the West Bank, as well as Palestinian attacks against Israeli forces and settlers. On Tuesday, three Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in West Bank. Israel claimed that the three Palestinians killed are "armed terrorists," while the Palestinian side urged the international community to "condemn the awful crime" and investigate the killings. SHELTON - Recreational-use cannabis businesses will not likely be sprouting up in the city anytime soon. The Planning and Zoning Commission, at its meeting Tuesday, is considering a temporary moratorium on establishing recreational-use cannabis sales operations in the city, at least until new Shelton zoning regulations are created to address this issue. Last year, the state legislature legalized marijuana in Connecticut. Beginning July 1, it became legal for adults older than 21 to have an ounce-and-a-half of marijuana, plus another five ounces in a locked container. Retail sales in Connecticut are expected to begin as soon as this spring, under legislation approved by the state Senate last year. The commission voted to refer the proposal to its zoning subcommittee, which will work with city corporation counsel Fran Teodosio on the appropriate language to create a temporary moratorium. There would be a time limit on the moratorium that is yet to be determined. This is for us to get a handle on this, commission Chair Virginia Harger said about the need for the temporary moratorium. She added a moratorium would allow the city to determine if Shelton zoning regulations need to be amended. While the new state law permits municipalities to receive a 3 percent municipal sales tax for legal retail sales occurring within the municipality, there are those who are have legitimate concerns on how the regulations in this new state law would affect the quality of residential and commercial life we presently have in our community, Harger said. If the commission enacts a moratorium, Harger said the panels zoning subcommittee will continue to review the new state law and will prepare recommendations to present to the entire commission for consideration and action. This (moratorium) will give us time to prepare appropriate regulations, commissioner Ruth Parkins said. Harger said the zoning subcommittee will prepare the language, which will then be brought to the commission, which will set a public hearing before holding a final vote. If the moratorium is approved, the commission will then create the new regulations concerning recreational-use cannabis sales. Once language for that is complete, it, too, will go before a public hearing before final commission approval. brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com NEW HAVEN The quarantine on Yale University undergraduates ended this week, but with students busy rushing to classes, and it appeared that students were once again patronizing downtown businesses. People could be seen Wednesday afternoon in Starbucks, Atticus Bookstore Cafe and Willoughbys coffee shop at their laptops, sipping coffee and studying. Business-wise, things picked up immediately, said Kevin Smith, store manager of Blue State Coffee, 276 York St. We are hiring now. We werent really sure whats happening with Yale. He pointed to a largely empty pastry display, saying, Now that were back to being normal, whatever normal is, before the break, were just excited to see people, Smith said. Melanie Boyd, Yale dean of undergraduate student affairs, had sent a message telling students whose arrival COVID-19 tests were positive to avoid local businesses, restaurants, and bars, including outdoor drinking or dining until Feb. 7. She said they should feel free to order curbside pickup, or take walks or runs off campus. Its uncertain how many students followed the rules. I think they were sneaking out already, said one person who would not give her name. Ellen Trost, sales associate for Idiom clothing store, 1014 Chapel St., said Were excited to have them all back. Yale delayed the spring semester by a week and taught classes online only until this week. Dr. Roger Ying, a medical resident, said, it sounds like in-person classes is consistent with being able to go outside. Sam Burton, owner of Grey Matters Books, 264 York St., said of the pedestrian traffic, it seemed normal. People were out and about. But he added, Its been uneven so far in 2022. Theres been some good days and very slow days, but its winter. Grey Matters will celebrate its third anniversary this month, he said. First-year student Don Chang said he thinks Yale has been more restrictive than other schools, which he thought was a good thing. Julia Tang, also a first-year, said, Its better to be more safe. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 WESTPORT Built in 1795, the Joseph Hyde House at 30 Hyde Lane is one of the most spectacular antiques in Westport, according to listing agent Mary Ann Lindwall ,of The Riverside Realty Group. The flawless synergy between the lovingly restored original 1795 estate and the brilliantly crafted expansion is an example of artistry at its finest, she said. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the international community to pay close attention to the terrorist threats posed by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement/Turkistan Islamic Party (ETIM/TIP). "We call on the Security Council and the international community to pay close attention to the active and developing terrorist threats posed by ETIM/TIP, to cut off its connection with ISIS and erase the space for it to breed and do harm," Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, told the Security Council briefing on Threats to International Peace and Security Caused by Terrorist Acts. Citing the secretary-general's report, which points out that ISIS continued to recruit from ETIM/TIP, Zhang said that China "is deeply concerned" about this. "ETIM is a terrorist organization designated by the 1267 Committee of the Council. It has carried out many inhumane terrorist attacks in Xinjiang, China, resulting in mass casualties of innocent people," said Zhang. The ambassador said that in recent years, this organization has spread and grown in Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and other regions, adding that the report released by the monitoring group of the 1267 Committee earlier this month further points out that there are 1,000 to 3,000 ETIM/TIP fighters in Syria. "They not only launched attacks on the ground, but also recruited, trained and sent terrorists for terrorist attacks in Central Asian countries and China. The ETIM fighters in Afghanistan even clamored to 'return to Xinjiang for Jihad,'" he said. Speaking about the effort to curb the new wave of terrorism, the ambassador said that ISIS is still active in regions such as Iraq, Syria, and Libya, and is spreading at a faster pace in many parts of Africa. "In Afghanistan, the withdrawal of foreign troops has created a vacuum in the security situation, and such chaos has provided an opportunity for terrorist forces to expand their presence. We hoped the Taliban will fulfill relevant counter-terrorism commitments to prevent Afghanistan from again becoming the breeding ground of terrorism," said Zhang. "China supports the international community in continuing coordinated actions to combat terrorism in all its forms," the envoy noted. On civilian protection, Zhang said that "counter-terrorism operations must abide by international law and uphold the principle of protecting civilians." "The overuse of military force will not help eradicate terrorist threats. On the contrary, it may weaken the legitimacy and effectiveness of counter-terrorism actions, and cause the dilemma of the more counter-terrorism, the more terrorism," he said. "Military intervention in the name of counter-terrorism is a blatant violation of national security and territorial integrity, and will lead to major disasters and civilian casualties, and create a breeding ground for terrorists. We call on the countries concerned to prudently use military means in counter-terrorism operations, and give priority to the protection of civilians," the envoy stressed. Zhang also called on the international community to "vigorously help African countries strengthen counter-terrorism capacity-building." "Terrorism and violent extremism are expanding in many places in Africa, posing a severe challenge to national security of regional countries," he said. "China has always been committed to supporting the capacity-building of African countries that are at the forefront of counter-terrorism ... We stand ready to continue our practical support for African countries in their pursuit of peace and security," said the ambassador. People wearing face masks walk out of a coffee shop in New York, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) NEW YORK, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- New York State on Wednesday joined New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Oregon and California in easing the requirement for mask or proof of vaccination in indoor settings as daily new COVID-19 cases plummeted recently. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that statewide indoor business mask-or-vaccine requirement will be lifted starting Thursday and will remain optional for businesses, local governments and counties to enforce. The mask-or-vaccine protocol was implemented on Dec. 10 as the Omicron variant caused a spike of cases in the state and extended to Thursday. With case counts plummeting and hospitalizations sharply declining, this temporary measure is no longer needed statewide, said Hochul. Still, mask requirements will remain in place in certain high-density settings like hospitals, nursing homes, shelters, transportation and other related entities. "While we're moving in the right direction, this pandemic isn't over," Hochul said. Hochul added that mask requirement in schools would be reassessed in early March based on public health data. The announcement was welcomed by business representatives in New York State. "Governor Hochul's decision to allow expiration of mask mandates in the workplace will encourage the return of employees to the office and accelerate the city's economic recovery. It is the right call," said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of Partnership for New York City. "We hope new policies will encourage New Yorkers to continue to support New York businesses still recovering from the pandemic," said Heather Briccetti, president and CEO of Business Council of New York State. New York State added 6,041 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday with the positivity rate at 3.67 percent, according to the newly-issued data by the state. Statewide COVID-19 cases fell as much as 93 percent since the peak on Jan. 7 and COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped 63 percent in the state since the peak on Jan. 12. People line up to have COVID-19 tests at a testing site in New York, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) People walk on a street in New York, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) A sign requiring people to wear face masks is seen on a door in New York, the United States, on Feb. 9, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan) LUSAKA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Construction of Kenneth Kaunda International Conference Center, an ultra-modern conference center in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, for hosting this year's African Union (AU) summit, is 85 percent complete, a government official said Tuesday. The facility's Chinese contractor, China Jiangsu International Economic and Technical Corporation Group, has been working to hand over the project to the government in March before the scheduled handover date in April 2022, state broadcaster Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation quoted Tadalisika Zulu, the clerk of Works at the Department of Public Infrastructure, as saying. According to her, most of the construction works have been completed and only fittings were currently being done. The facility whose main conference room has a holding capacity of about 4,000 people started construction in 2020. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said during the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU in Ethiopia last week that the southern African nation was ready to host the mid-year coordinating summit in July this year. RABAT, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The coast guards of Morocco's Royal Navy have rescued 256 illegal immigrants in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean since Saturday, the official news agency MAP reported Tuesday. The immigrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, included 41 women and 5 children, the report cited a military source as saying. They were facing difficulties on board the makeshift inflatable boats and received the first aid when they were rescued, said the source. Morocco has long been a transit country for African immigrants seeking to reach Europe. DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Tanzanian minister told parliament on Wednesday that increased human activities and a surge in population are major threats to the destruction of Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater lake in the world. Selemani Jaffo, the Minister of State in the Vice-President's Office responsible for Environment, said human activities facing the lake included dumping of solid wastes from households and industries. Jaffo told the House in the capital Dodoma that other human activities were unsustainable agriculture that causes water pollution, improper use of pesticides, industrial fertilizers and unsustainable mining adjacent to the lake. He pointed an accusing finger at residents, manufacturers and fishermen saying they were responsible for degrading the environment of the lake. He said the government was taking measures aimed at protecting the lake, including conducting awareness campaigns and programs and fighting against illegal fishing. Jaffo said the government has also been amending laws, creating regulations, guidelines and strategies aimed at controlling pollution of the country's great lakes. KIEV, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron met on Tuesday to discuss the peace process aimed at resolving the crisis in and around Ukraine, Zelensky's press service reported. At the talks, Zelensky voiced the hope that the next meeting of leaders of the Normandy Four, which includes Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia, may take place "in the near future". "An important step in this direction is the intensification of dialogue at the level of political advisers. We hope that the meeting in Paris, which took place on January 26, 2022, and the upcoming talks in Berlin will bring us closer to holding the Normandy Summit," Zelensky was quoted as saying by his press service. Kiev and Paris share a common vision of current threats and security challenges for Ukraine, Europe and the world at large, Zelensky said. Meanwhile, Macron said that the Minsk agreements are a path to de-escalation and lasting peace in Ukraine. Macron held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. Macron said that during his talks with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, both Kiev and Moscow expressed their readiness to implement the Minsk agreements. Macron also announced that France will allocate 1.2 billion euros (about 1.37 billion U.S. dollars) of macro-financial assistance for Kiev to help strengthen Ukraine's economic stability. Following the meeting of the two leaders, Ukraine and France signed a string of bilateral agreements in defense, transport, infrastructure, aviation and other sectors. Macron arrived in Kiev earlier in the day. His trip marked the first visit of the French president to Ukraine in 24 years. Macron's visit came amid the escalation of the tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Since November, Kiev and some Western countries have accused Russia of assembling heavy troops near the Ukrainian border with a possible intention of "invasion." Russia denied the accusation, saying that Russia has the right to mobilize troops within its borders to defend its territory as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's activities constitute a threat to Russia's border security. The meeting of the advisors of the Normandy format will take place in Berlin on Feb. 10. Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou (1st L, Front) welcomes Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic (2nd L, Front) in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 8, 2022. Montenegro expects Greece's continued support for its accession to the European Union (EU), visiting Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) ATHENS, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Montenegro expects Greece's continued support for its accession to the European Union (EU), visiting Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said here on Tuesday. "We are taking important steps towards the European integration of our country, and we expect Greece to continue to support us," Djukanovic said during his meeting with his Greek counterpart, Katerina Sakellaropoulou. "Greece believes that in times of growing global challenges, such as the period we are going through, the European perspective of the western Balkans, their full membership of the European Union, is in the political and economic interest of the European Union itself, but also an incentive for these countries to make the necessary reforms," Sakellaropoulou said. Both leaders stressed the special significance of Djukanovic's two-day official visit to Athens. He is the first Montenegrin head of state to visit Greece since 2006, when the country declared its independence and the confederation of Serbia and Montenegro peacefully dissolved. Djukanovic also talked about the EU integration when met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to the Greek national broadcaster ERT. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) welcomes Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic in Athens, Greece, on Feb. 8, 2022. Montenegro expects Greece's continued support for its accession to the European Union (EU), visiting Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic said here on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) by Burak Akinci ANKARA, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has seen a spike of COVID-19 cases and deaths, while healthcare workers in the country staged a new strike for better pay and working conditions. Most cities in Turkey have witnessed a new wave of COVID-19 cases since late January, with daily cases topping 110,000. Turkey confirmed 111,096 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, just below the record daily high from last week, the health ministry reported on Tuesday. On the same day, under the call of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), healthcare workers, who have been exhausted in the forefront of fighting the pandemic, took to the streets throughout the country, striking to demand higher wages, better working conditions and safer workplaces. This is the third strike by Turkish healthcare workers for similar demands since December 2021. It is worth noting that more than 1,400 Turkish doctors left their posts to work abroad last year, the TTB said. In the capital of Ankara, Esin Davutoglu Senol, an infectious disease doctor from the Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, said that the situation is grave for healthcare workers. Alper Sener, a professor from the Health Ministry's Science Board, said while Turkey might experience a peak in the number of cases in the first two weeks of February, he is "expecting the infections to start to decline at the end of the month." But the professor also warned that if the current rise in cases continues, more patients may need intensive care units. "Omicron may be fatal for people who have chronic diseases. We should not have our guards down," Gule Cinar, a virologist from Ankara, told Xinhua. "We need at least 90 percent of the population to get vaccinated. Two doses are not enough. People should have their booster shots," she stressed. WARSAW, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Polish Health Minister Adam Niedzielski said on Wednesday that the fifth wave of COVID-19 infections in the country seems to have passed its peak. "Two weeks ago we had to deal with a rise in cases," Niedzielski said during a press conference. "The downward trend is now a permanent trend." Poland reported 46,872 new cases on Wednesday morning, almost 10,000 fewer than on the same day a week earlier. Since the start of the pandemic, 107,204 Poles died due to the coronavirus. Speaking to local media in an interview published on Wednesday, Niedzielski said he will recommend gradual easing of current restrictions. Poland has a masking mandate in place for public indoor spaces and public transport, as well as capacity restrictions for businesses and institutions and distance learning for all levels of education. "The first decision will be to scale down the hospital infrastructure set up to combat COVID-19," he said in the interview. "After that, we will walk back restrictions step-by-step. If the current trend continues, lifting restrictions by March will be a realistic perspective." He added that a return to the classroom for students would enjoy priority. Niedzielski also said a shortening of the quarantine period from ten days to seven is on the table, as well as quarantine requirements for those who had confirmed contact with a COVID-19 patient. NEW YORK, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Governor Kathy Hochul is scheduled to drop New York's stringent indoor mask mandate on Wednesday, ending a requirement that businesses ask customers for proof of full vaccination or require mask wearing at all times and marking a turning point in the state's coronavirus response. In letting the mandate lapse, New York joins other Democrat-led states in a loosely-coordinated bid to help voters reclaim a sense of normalcy. The governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Oregon have announced that they will lift school mask mandates in the coming weeks. "The decision will eliminate a rule that prompted legal and interpersonal clashes over mask wearing, especially in conservative parts of New York," reported The New York Times (NYT). The rule is set to expire on Thursday after months in effect. WHITE HOUSE CONCERN On Tuesday, the Joe Biden administration stressed it would not object to decisions by New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware and Oregon to lift mask mandates in schools soon, noting that the Democratic-led states still allowed decisions on face coverings to be made by parents and local school districts. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the four states permitted school districts to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which continues to recommend universal masking in schools. The administration's "great concern" was political leaders stopping students from wearing masks even if school districts or their parents require them to do so. "Our goal remains continuing to ensure that there is guidance that helps school districts stay open ... Ninety-eight percent of schools are open," she said. Her remarks came as the director of the CDC on Tuesday said, "now is not the moment" to end masking requirements, after a major teachers union called for a review of CDC guidance as cases decline. HEALTH EXPERTS DIFFER Public health experts agree that school mask mandates should not last forever but differ on whether the time has come to remove them. "The move to loosen these politically charged restrictions has divided scientists and public health experts," said NYT on Wednesday. "I think it's entirely appropriate that we start lifting school mask mandates now," Joseph Allen, a Harvard University researcher who studies indoor environmental quality, including in schools, was quoted as saying. "We're in a much better place than we were before, and it's time to update our strategies to reflect the moment." Others noted that the virus was still exacting a significant toll on the country, with cases about as high as last winter's peak and around 2,600 Americans dying each day. "Lifting school mask mandates too early could jeopardize the progress that the country has made over the last few weeks," said the report. BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, has voiced strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to a U.S. bill containing negative content related to China. The so-called "America COMPETES Act of 2022," recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, is steeped in Cold-War mentality and zero-sum game mindset, and denigrates China's development path as well as its domestic and foreign policies, the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement. The bill, under the guise of enhancing the competitiveness of the United States, intends to curb and suppress China's innovation and development and maintain the global hegemony of the United States, the statement said. It also noted that moves to treat China as a strategic rival of the United States will only undermine mutual trust between the two countries, sabotage bilateral cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, education, science and technology, and will eventually harm the vital interests of the United States. The bill's content relating to Taiwan seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques, the statement said. It stressed that issues relating to Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong are purely China's internal affairs that brook no external interference. "Any egregious attempt to interfere with China's internal affairs and hurt China's core interests will be met with strong reactions," read the statement. It also urged the U.S. Congress to view China's development in an objective and rational way, to immediately halt the progress of the bill, and to safeguard China-U.S. relations with concrete actions. People wait for COVID-19 tests at a testing site in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 7, 2022. (Xinhua/Lo Ping Fai) Chief Executive of the HKSAR Carrie Lam said the dynamic "zero infection" approach is in the public's interest as it protects public health and safety, stressing that Hong Kong should adhere to the anti-epidemic strategy to buy time for enhancing the vaccination rate, in order to avoid unbearable pressure on Hong Kong's hospitals. HONG KONG, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said on Tuesday that "zero COVID-19" is the best strategy for Hong Kong's current anti-epidemic situation. Lam said the dynamic "zero infection" approach is in the public's interest as it protects public health and safety, stressing that Hong Kong should adhere to the anti-epidemic strategy to buy time for enhancing the vaccination rate, in order to avoid unbearable pressure on Hong Kong's hospitals. Carrie Lam, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, speaks at a press conference in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 4, 2022. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai) She also unveiled a series of stringent anti-epidemic measures due to the recent surge of COVID-19 cases. Religious venues and hair salons will be closed from Feb. 10, and the current social distancing measures will be extended until Feb. 24. The vaccine pass scheme will be effective from Feb. 24, where unvaccinated people will be banned from entering a list of venues specified in the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation. This list will be expanded to include shopping malls, wet markets and other markets, supermarkets, department stores, religious venues and hair salons. The HKSAR government will also ban cross-family gatherings in private premises involving more than two households. Close and secondary contacts of COVID-19 patients are subjected to home quarantine starting from Tuesday. Meanwhile, Hong Kong on Tuesday reported 625 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, taking the total tally of infections to 16,647, according to data from the Center for Health Protection. Staff members check residents' information of COVID-19 testing at a "restricted area" in Sham Shui Po of Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 5, 2022. (Xinhua) The newly reported cases consist of four imported cases and 621 locally acquired cases, the center said. Since the start of a mass inoculation program in February last year, about 5.44 million people, or 80.8 percent of the eligible population in Hong Kong, have taken at least one shot of COVID-19 vaccines, while over 4.9 million, or 72.8 percent of the eligible population, have taken two doses. Meanwhile, more than 1.09 million people in Hong Kong have taken their third booster shots. By Azernews By Ayya Lmahamad Estonian President Alar Karis and Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova have discussed bilateral cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting, the president expressed confidence that Gafarova's official visit to Estonia would further develop relations between the two countries. Noting that Azerbaijan and Estonia have established successful cooperation in a number of areas, he underlined that now there is good potential for further cooperation development. The Estonian president also expressed support for Azerbaijan-EU relations, stressing that Estonia has always supported Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. In turn, Gafarova noted that the existing legislative basis of Azerbaijani-Estonian relations can be enriched with new documents in order to cover various spheres of the bilateral agenda. "It is quite possible to further deepen our cooperation in economic, trade, investment, agricultural and other areas, despite the negative impact of COVID-19," she said. Speaking about the ties between Azerbaijan and the European Union, Gafarova stated that negotiations on the conclusion of a new partnership agreement are at the final stage. She added that Azerbaijan has signed documents on strategic partnership with nine EU states. Recalling the visit of EU Council President Charles Michel to Azerbaijan in July 2021 and the participation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the 6th summit of the EU Eastern Partnership in Brussels, Gafarova stressed that these visits demonstrate the essence of relations between Azerbaijan and the EU. The official also briefed on the undergoing large-scale restoration and reconstruction work on Azerbaijan's liberated territories. "A lot of work has been completed in a short period of time: a new transport infrastructure has been created and an international airport has begun to operate in Fuzuli. The opening of the Zangazur corridor and all regional communications will increase the transport potential of the region," she said. Additionally, in the course of the conversation, the sides discussed other topics of mutual interest. Azerbaijan and Estonia are cooperating in different spheres of the economy. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $6.1 million in 2021. By Trend The technical director of the Turkish company Baykar Makina, Seljuk Bayraktar, shared a post on his Twitter page in connection with the presentation of TEKNOFEST in Baku, Trend reports. "Today we were in Baku at the presentation of TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan. Let our united festival TEKNOFEST turn the boundless brotherhood of one people, the common destiny of two states into new success stories," he wrote. The upcoming TEKNOFEST International Aviation, Space and Technology Festival will be held in Azerbaijan on May 26-29, 2022. TEKNOFEST in Baku is held by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the TEKNOFEST production office operates in Baku. The full staff of the office is comprised of Azerbaijani specialists. The event has been held annually since 2018, with the joint organization of the Turkish Technology Team Foundation, which is managed by the Turkish Ministry of Industry and Technology and the chief technology officer of Baykar Makina, in partnership with more than 60 Turkish government institutions, universities and private companies. The goal is to popularize such areas as aviation, space industry and digital economy, to encourage entrepreneurship in these areas, to identify the knowledge and skills of young engineers through competitions organized within the framework of the festival, as well as to present national technologies to the general public. Trend, Day.az, Milli.az, Azernews, Eastweststream, Today.az and Turkic.World are official media partners of TEKNOFEST. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Retrospective of the Azerbaijani films has been presented in Russia. Initiated by the Culture Ministry, the event took place at Moscow cinema "Illusion". Recall that the retrospective of the cinema of Azerbaijan in Moscow opened with the screening of the documentary film "The Last One" (2021) directed by Fariz Akhmedov. Over the past 30 years, this is the most extensive Azerbaijani Film Week in Moscow. The program includes more than 15 films - the pearls of Azerbaijani cinema. The films cover the period from 1935 to the present day. The project is supported by the Russian Film Fund and the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry. It should be noted that meetings with Azerbaijani directors, film critics, and art critics will be held within the framework of film screenings. The program of the retrospective included the following films - "The Violent Band", "By the Very Blue Sea", "Magic Robe", "On the Distant Shores", "Strange Time", "Bat", "All for the Best", "In this Southern City", "Equal Bread", "I Remember You, Teacher", "Interrogation", "Fisherman's Daughter", "From Death to Death", "Salt, Pepper To Taste", "Towards Evening" "Inner Island", etc. More than half of the films will be shown from 35 mm film from the archive of the State Film Fund of Russia. Digital copies are provided by the Azerbaijan State Film Fund. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Uzeyir Hajibayli's operetta "The Cloth Peddler" has been shown at the State Opera and Ballet Theater. The musical comedy was written in 1913. The author of the libretto is Uzeyir Hajibayli himself. Its premiere took place on October 25, 1913 at the Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev Theater in Baku. Despite the fact that the plot of the operetta is well known to the viewer, it continues to arouse great interest among the public. "The Cloth Peddler" tells the love story of young Asgar, who wants to get married. He is a rich, successful businessman and has everything he could wish for except for one thing - a lovely wife. However, some old-fashioned traditions do not allow him to choose his own bride. The plot of the musical comedy was taken from life by the author. So, women in the East have long worn a veil, they were not allowed to appear on the street with an open face. The girls got married, as a rule, at the will of their parents. The groom in most cases also saw his bride only after the wedding. In the 20th century, this tradition began to be criticized. A new generation of young people wanted to get married with someone they love. Uzeyir Hajibayli's operetta tells about a young man who pretended to be a cloth peddler in order to see his future wife. The musical comedy combines the traditions of European classical and Azerbaijani national music. "The Cloth Peddler" was translated into 80 languages and staged in about 200 theaters in 80 countries. In 2013, UNESCO celebrated the 100th anniversary of the operetta. The main part in the production were performed by People's Artist Ramil Gasimov as well as People's Artist Gulyaz Mammadova,Honored Artists Jahangir Gurbanov, Gulustan Aliyeva, Tural Aghasiyev, Sabina Vahabzade, Sadig Melikov. For the first time, the role of Gulchohra was embodied by Fatima Jafarzade. The musical comedy was conducted by the laureate of the international competition of conductors named after Antal Dorati Orkhan Gashimov, stage director-Honored Art Worker Hafiz Guliyev. The unique music of Uzeyir Hajibayli, excellent performance, favorite plot, familiar remarks - all this aroused the delight of the public. Media partners of the event are Azernews.az, Trend.az, Day.az, Milli.az. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova The national carpet weaving art of Azerbaijan will be presented at the Dubai Expo 2020. Dostlug carpet will be showcased in the national pavilion on February 18. This carpet was woven on the basis of traditional Azerbaijani carpets and modern design as a result of joint cooperation between the carpet weavers of Azerkhalcha OJSC and Honored Artist Rashad Alakbarov. The work on carpet, its design, sample preparation, weaving process and processing lasted seven months. Flora and fauna elements are woven into carpets at historical and modern sites in Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, on February 19-20, a series of master classes will be held in Azerbaijan's pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai for those interested in learning the secrets of the ancient art of carpet weaving. Notably, Azerbaijan will be represented at the Dubai Expo 2020 by the Heydar Aliyev Center's pavilion. Expo 2020 is a World Expo that will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. The event was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the postponement, organizers retained the name Expo 2020. On November 27, 2013, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) general assembly in Paris named Dubai as the host city. "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future" is the Expo's theme. South Africa: Over R13 million set aside for KwaSwayimane old age home construction The KwaZulu-Natal Social Development Department has set aside over R13 million to build a fully-fledged old age home in KwaSwayimane under uMshwathi Municipality, KZN Midlands. The construction of the old age home follows an appeal made by senior citizens to Social Development MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza. The area has been plagued by a number of cases of sexual abuse of senior citizens since 2012, resulting in the department building a day care centre to the tune of R22.3 million. During a dialogue with the community of uMshwathi, hosted by the department in 2020, senior citizens in the area pleaded with government to protect them against criminals and ensure that they did not suffer neglect. The senior citizens raised a concern that during the day they were safe, but suffered most attacks at night. This week, Khoza embarked on Operation Siyahlola Monitoring Programme, where she visited KwaSwayimane Day Care Centre for older persons. The programme, which was launched by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala in 2020, aims to improve governments performance and making sure that peoples experience of government goods and services is pleasant, positive and one that leaves a lasting impression of government. Khoza said the department has resolved to build a day care centre after a number of campaigns aimed at raising awareness about abuse and neglect of the elderly. She said she is pleased with the reconfiguration of the day care centre, which is supposed to be completed to take in a few senior citizens. However, the MEC said she is not happy that the first phase to start taking in residents has not started. We should be talking about the welfare and safety of the residents already occupying the first phase of the project," she said. Khoza cracked the whip on government officials and contractors for delaying the implementation of the first phase of the project. She warned that while government gives opportunities to upcoming contractors, it is imperative that they produced good quality work. "It is important to master the first phase, as we will be building the second phase of an old age home to accommodate over 100 residents. We cannot tolerate poor workmanship in building structures to be occupied by older persons. It is imperative that the home is well-equipped to take care of the sick," Khoza said. Khoza expressed her gratitude to the Gcumisa clan for availing land to build a fully-fledged facility to be occupied by senior citizens. Umshwati Local Municipality Mayor, Mandla Zondi, who accompanied Khoza, commended the department for its commitment to safeguard the lives of the people. We are grateful that the department has been consistent in ensuring that even the municipality knows the plan. We are grateful that under Umgungundlovu District, as Umshwati Local Municipality, we were chosen to be the home of this first of a kind structure for older persons," Zondi said. Zondi added that the local leadership would be delighted if the department sourced skilled personnel [to work in the institution], to ensure that the facility runs professionally. "With the Operation Siyahlola Programme, as government we aim at ensuring that the delivery of goods and services by government is pleasant. We are a government that wants to leave a lasting impression by addressing the imbalances of the past," the Mayor said. The facility is expected to be opened for occupation by 1 March 2022. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2022-02-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov NATO is conducting a counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) training course at Azerbaijans War College, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry reported on February 8. The course is being held by NATOs Allied Joint Force Command Mobile Training Team located in Brunssum (The Netherlands) under the Individual Partnership Cooperation Program for 2022 signed between the Defence Ministry and the organization, the report added. "During the course, listeners were given briefings on a variety of topics related to joint activities during NATO's C-IED measures. There was an exchange of ideas on the topic, as well as practical group work," the ministry said. The training program will run until February 11. Relations with NATO started in 1992 when Azerbaijan joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. This forum for dialogue was succeeded in 1997 by the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, which brings together all Allies and partner countries in the Euro-Atlantic area. Bilateral cooperation began when Azerbaijan joined the Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme in 1994. Thanks to regular participation in PfP activities, Azerbaijan has been able to contribute actively to Euro-Atlantic security by supporting NATO-led peace-support operations. Azerbaijans participation in the PfP Planning and Review Process (PARP) since 1997 has allowed NATO and individual Allies to assist Azerbaijan in developing selected units to improve interoperability with those of the Allies. NATO and Azerbaijan started work on a jointly agreed Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) in 2008 to integrate NATO standards into the teaching methodologies and curricula of the countrys Professional Military Education (PME) institutions. In 2018, Azerbaijan asked NATO to also involve the Military High School, a pre-commissioning school, in DEEP. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Paris has promised to assist Baku in identifying Azerbaijanis who went missing during the first Karabakh war with Armenia in the early 1990s. The French embassy in Azerbaijan stated on its website on February 8: "Like last year, France will continue to work in 2022 with the parties, particularly Azerbaijan, to help identify missing persons, with the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross." The remarks were made by the French embassy in response to Baku's transfer of eight Armenian servicemen to Yerevan. According to the embassy, the event represents a step toward peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It stated that Azerbaijan's return of eight Armenian detainees on a French government plane on February 7 was "good news in the context of Europe's tense security situation today". The embassy emphasized that as a sign of goodwill, this gesture will allow the two countries to move closer to peace. It was emphasized that the release of the Armenian detainees was the result of dialogue, diplomacy, and de-escalation efforts, particularly the February 4 videoconference between Azerbaijani President Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan, with the support of French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Council President Charles Michel. The French embassy emphasized that France appreciates Azerbaijan's kind gesture in releasing the Armenian servicemen. The embassy described the return of detainees as a "timely" and "necessary" step in the two countries' transition from war to "post-conflict," and from "post-conflict" to "peace talks." It emphasized that peace-building measures such as reducing border tensions, delimiting and demarcating borders, and opening communication lines between Azerbaijan and Armenia necessitate strong political will. The transition to a peace process will involve other advances in the humanitarian field. After decades of conflict, there is a real need to restore trust and alleviate the suffering of families, especially by allowing detainees to be reunited with their loved ones, identify the remains of the missing, provide assistance to mine victims and ensure mine clearance, the statement said. Therefore, France has offered to cooperate with Azerbaijans Mince Action Agency (ANAMA) in the field of demining and assistance to mine victims. The European Union, which emerged from the peace project and has extensive and significant experience in border management and regional development, is also ready to accompany Azerbaijan and Armenia, the embassy underlined. It is time to abandon nationalist rhetoric and historical disputes. The involvement of all people of goodwill, old and young, will be necessary to resolutely embark on the path of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia," the statement concluded. Meanwhile, the delegation of the French media structure ERE TV traveled to Azerbaijans liberated territories as a part of their visit to the country, Trend reported on February 8. "French journalists visiting the liberated territories - the city of Shusha, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil regions, had the opportunity to see with their own eyes the destruction committed by the Armenians during the occupation, as well as the large-scale construction work being carried out today by our state. They also observed mine clearance operations, carried out by ANAMA officers in the liberated territories" Azerbaijani MP, head of the working group on Azerbaijan-France inter-parliamentary relations, Soltan Mammadov said. By Azernews By Sabina Mammadli The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided assistance to Karabakh separatists, as evidenced by facts discovered in Azerbaijan's liberated Khojavand region's Bulutan village, Baku-based news website Day.az has reported. The footage posted online was taken at a first-aid post in the village set up by USAID specifically for the separatists, as evidenced by the agencys logos on various equipment, the report added. "The fact that such assistance was provided to the separatists by an agency funded by the U.S. government is a gross violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. What makes this especially outrageous is the fact that the United States is one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - the same one that has been organizing the failed negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for 30 years," Day.az stressed. USAID claims that it leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help people progress beyond assistance. Since 1997, the U.S. has been acting as one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs along with Russia and France to promote a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict through negotiation and mediation. The OSCE Minsk Group was instituted in 1992 and activated in 1994. On January 27, 2021, U.S. Ambassador Earle Litzenberger congratulated Azerbaijan on the restoration of its territorial integrity and expressed the U.S. readiness to participate in the restoration of the lands liberated from Armenia's occupation. A Moscow-brokered ceasefire deal that Baku and Yerevan signed on November 10 brought an end to six weeks of fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani army declared a victory against the Armenian troops. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it has occupied since the early 1990s. On January 11, the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders signed the second statement since the end of the 44-day war. The newly-signed statement is set to implement clause 9 of the November 2020 statement related to the unblocking of all economic and transport communications in the region. Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to join the global anti-terror coalition assembled by the U.S. government. Azerbaijan opened its airspace to the allied forces and assured its agencies would cooperate and provide information that would assist in American-led efforts. Azerbaijans contributions to the U.S.-led anti-terror campaign also included deploying a peacekeeping contingent in Afghanistan. Azerbaijani peacekeepers began serving there in November 2002, and by 2021 the contingent consisted of 120 servicemen. They left the country more than a week after the Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021. By Trend The one-on-one meeting between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Nicu Popescu was held in Baku, Trend reports referring to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys message on Twitter. Bayramov welcomed Popescu in front of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the ministry tweeted. Popescu is in Azerbaijan on a working visit, which will last until February 10. By Trend UNESCO may consider the ideas proposed during the meeting of the heads of Azerbaijan, Armenia, France and European Council, UNESCO told Trend. On 4 February, a video conference was held on the initiative of President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron with the participation of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, President of France as Chair of the European Union Emmanuel Macron, President of the European Council Charles Michel and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The issue of UNESCO's mission to Azerbaijan and Armenia was also discussed at the meeting. The sides agreed that a mission would be sent to both countries. The organizations said that UNESCO is working with all relevant parties to create the conditions for a UNESCO Independent Technical Mission within the framework of the 1954 Convention. To this end, UNESCO welcomes all ideas and initiatives that may be helpful, including from regional organizations as well as individual countries. The ideas proposed during the Summit of February 4th may be considered in this light. These ideas will be assessed by UNESCO in full cooperation with Armenia and Azerbaijan, UNESCO said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Defense Minister of Armenia Suren Papikyan visited on February 8 a number of military units located in the southern direction to get acquainted with the ongoing renovation and construction works, the ministry said in a news release. In addition to providing servicemen with proper living conditions, the Defense Minister also emphasized the necessity of increasing the knowledge and combat-readiness level of the soldiers. He also visited the military bases. Papikyan gave respective instructions and tasks to the commanding staff and the commanders of the military units to solve all the problems which were recorded during his working visit. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Berlin, Paris and Warsaw are calling upon Moscow to start a substantial dialogue on European security issues and to help defuse the situation in Ukraine, TASS reported citing a joint statement by the leaders of Germany, France and Poland. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish President Andrzej Duda gathered in Berlin on Tuesday for the summit of the Weimar Triangle, a tripartite group formed on August 28-29, 1991, and initially designed as an instrument for bringing Poland closer to the European Union and NATO. "The heads of states and governments of the Weimar Triangle (Germany, France and Poland) underlined their commitment to joint efforts for the cause of strengthening European and Trans-Atlantic security architecture," TASS quoted the document as noting. It reaffirms that Berlin, Paris and Warsaw remain committed to principles sealed by "various OSCE documents." "The three countries will continue to closely coordinate their actions with EU partners and NATO allies with the goal of ensuring peace and stability in Euro-Atlantic," it says. The three leaders "call upon Russia to contribute to de-escalation on the Ukrainian border and start a substantial dialogue about security on the European continent." They also declared their "readiness to constructively participate in detailed and result-oriented negotiations on security issues of mutual concern." The leaders stressed that "any new Russian military aggression against Ukraine would have serious consequences and a high price." They were united in the opinion that NATO should "constantly review its defense and deterrence strategy" and to be ready to bring about necessary adjustments if the security situation deteriorates, including under the Enhanced Forward Presence initiative. Concerns over Moscows alleged preparations for an invasion into Ukraine have been increasingly announced in the West and in Kiev recently. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these statements as an empty and groundless escalation of tension, emphasizing that Russia posed no threat to anyone. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed into law the bill on adopting new media restrictions in the country, with many experts viewing it as a crackdown on independent press. The bill has received criticism from journalists who fear that it will restrict the freedom of the press and its access to public information. The new law requires journalists to fit specific criteria (lack of criminal record; higher education, etc.) The law stipulates that a centralized state registry will be created to register journalists and media outlets. The registration of journalists and media entities is voluntary however, those who refuse to register forfeit the right to access information from public authorities or attend government events and press conferences, according to OC Media. Moreover, political parties can from now on only run printed press, while local news outlets are banned from receiving foreign funding. According to a December article in Eurasianet, the new law will also require owners of media outlets to live in Azerbaijan, which would effectively ban many of the countrys independent media which are run by Azerbaijanis who fled the countrys already repressive media environment. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said that it is necessary to solve the issue of delimitation and demarcation with Armenia in order to normalize the relations. He claimed that Azerbaijan is ready to unconditionally start the process of delimitation and demarcation. YEREVAN, 9 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. Armenia and Azerbaijan should first of all take steps to increase security, stability on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, pursuing the goal of setting up a border demarcation commission, ARMENPRESS reports Prime Minister NIkol Pashinyan said at the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of Vahagn Aleksanyan from the Civil Contract Party, who asked for details about that idea. "You are aware that the trilateral written statement adopted in Sochi on November 26, 2021, signed by the President of Russia, the President of Azerbaijan and me, states that the parties agreed to take steps to increase security and stability on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and to pursue the goal of setting up a bilateral commission on demarcationa and delimitation. Since we are interested in this, naturally, we must remain committed to our agreement, and so we made an offer. Our idea is that the armed forces should withdraw simultaneously," Pashinyan said. The PM clarified what means a simultaneous withdrawal of troops. "It means that the troops must be withdrawn at an equal distance from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border line, after which the border protection must be handed over to a limited number of border guards, while an international monitoring must take place for the implementation of the agreements." The next fundamental issue that arises is whether there is a state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Our answer to the question is definitely positive. Why? Because there was a border between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Soviet times, which was delimited, and with the 1991 agreement on the establishment of the CIS, which was ratified by the parliaments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, those borders were recognized. Therefore, we think that these agreements should be implemented in this logic. Moreover, we are ready to listen to other proposals, other ideas," said the Prime Minister. According to the Prime Minister, there are many ungrounded speculations on this topic that the villages will remain without protection "There is nothing like that, everything is taken into account in the package of proposals. We must also admit that its not so that the proposal we are making are 100% comfortable for Armenia or discomfort for Azerbaijan. There is a border line and, we think that there should be a withdrawal along that border line, noting that this does not predetermine the further results of the demarcation and delimitation, but they should be the subject of relevant negotiations, the PM said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The Government's Action Plan sees the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide as an additional guarantee of security for the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people, ARMENPRESS reports Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said during the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of the secretary of "Hayastan" faction Artsvik Minasyan. Artsvik Minasyan quoted an excerpt from the national security strategy, where it is mentioned that the national goals of the Armenian people are the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, overcoming and elimination of the consequences. Minasyan asked whether the Government of the Republic of Armenia continues to pursue these goals or not. In response, Ararat Mirzoyan said that the Government of the Republic of Armenia continues to consistently implement all the steps mentioned in the Government's Action Plan, which has been approved by this parliament. "It is clearly stated there that Armenia will continue its efforts aimed at both the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the prevention of further manifestations of this crime against humanity," Mirzoyan said. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime MInister Nikol Pashinyan highlights the de jure registration, signing on thepaper of agreements reached in Brussels on the construction, rehabilitation of Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway. Pashinyan has already set up a working group to organize the construction of the railway, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said during a question-and-answer session with the members of the government in the National Assembly, referring to the question of "Civil Contract" faction MP Gevorg Papoyan. Papoyan reminded that in December 2021, during the trilateral meeting with the President of the European Council Charles Michel and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, an agreement was reached on the resumption of railway communication between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The MP inquired about the developments in that direction, as well as in the process of unblocking the roads. Nikol Pashinyan reminded that he had announced that an agreement had been reached on the construction and restoration of the Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway. "Immediately after returning, I gave relevant instructions. I have also set up a working group, which is already engaged in organizing the construction of the railway," said the Prime Minister. Recently, Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan met in Yerevan with the Russian Co-Chair of the Trilateral Working Group Alexei Overchuk and the Head of the Russian Railways Company. "We are already discussing the financing of the technical part, design and construction of the railway," Pashinyan said. However, in the meantime, there is an important action that, according to Pashinyan, should be done. This is a de jure recording of the agreements reached in Brussels. I mean, either bilaterally or trilaterally, or in whatever format, it should become an agreement, be recorded on paper and signed. We have agreed that the railway should operate in accordance with international rules, within the framework of the legislation and sovereignty of the countries, which means that border, customs and other controls should be exercised at the border crossing points. And we have to agree on the parameters in order to build a railway with the same parameter, because those railways have to merge each other. It will become a route for international cargo transportation. And all this is very important for us to de jure register as soon as possible, to sign it, Pashinyan said. As for the roads, he said that basedon the results of the meetings in Brussels and Sochi, proposals were made, which were conveyed to the Azerbaijani side, as well as to Russian partners and international partners. "And as soon as we receive a positive response from Azerbaijan, we are ready to carry out the process of restoration and construction of road routes," PM Pashinyan said. By Azernews By Vugar Khalilov Baku has rejected the Armenian Foreign Ministrys claim on the alleged falsification of Armenian cultural heritage by Azerbaijan. In a statement posted on the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry website on February 9, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva stressed that Yerevan intends to cover up Armenia's illegal actions by making false conclusions from the Culture Ministry's statement earlier made on religious sites on Azerbaijani territories liberated from occupation during the 2020 war with Armenia. Large-scale destructions In her remarks also posted on her Twitter account as a reminder for Yerevan, she said: "The Armenian Foreign Ministry turns a blind eye to the facts of large-scale destructions, urbicide, culturecide and ecocide by Armenia in the Azerbaijani territories kept under occupation for 30 years." Armenia has wiped out nine Azerbaijani cities and hundreds of villages. Historical, cultural and religious monuments in these areas have been destroyed and looted, Abdullayeva said. UNESCO mission She added that for decades, Armenia prevented the UNESCO mission to visit the occupied territories to hide the purposeful destruction it had committed. This fact is clearly reflected in the activity report published by UNESCO in 2005. "At the same time, Armenia has completely destroyed the Azerbaijani cultural heritage on its territory by violating international law, including humanitarian law, the 1949 Geneva Conventions, as well as 1954 and 1970 UNESCO Conventions over the past 30 years," Abdullayeva said. The results of the above-mentioned vandalism of Armenia have been widely documented and covered by the international media and independent experts, she underlined. However, the official body of the neighboring country forgets that, unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan does not discriminate against its historical and cultural heritage on religious and ethnic grounds. Azerbaijan is an example of tolerance and cultural diversity all over the world, Abdullayeva stressed. The spokesperson called on the Armenian Foreign Ministry to demonstrate good intentions and deeds instead of fabricating false information. Armenia's erasure of Azerbaijani heritage Meanwhile, Azerbaijani Consul General in Los-Angeles Nasimi Aghayev shared the link of an article headlined "How Armenia looted and erased Azerbaijani heritage" (https://link.medium.com/UGisXULiunb) on his official Twitter account. I have compiled names, dates, photos and videos of numerous Azerbaijani mosques and other cultural heritage sites destroyed by Armenia. Feel free to share, the diplomat said. Monitoring of cultural heritage in Karabakh In a statement published on February 8, the Culture Ministry said: "Azerbaijan always respects its historical and cultural heritage regardless of its religious and ethnic origin. This approach also applies to the historical and cultural heritage in the Azerbaijani territories liberated from Armenian occupation." In its statement, the Culture Ministry pointed out that the Azerbaijani officials have reiterated that the historical and religious monuments located in the liberated territories belong to the Azerbaijani heritage and their protection is Azerbaijans responsibility. "The large-scale restoration and construction of two Christian churches in Azerbaijans liberated Shusha city along with mosques can be mentioned as an example. Azerbaijan, as opposed to Armenia, does not make religious and ethnic distinctions in its historical and cultural heritage and is committed to its obligations under international conventions, including the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954 Hague Convention)," the ministry said. The Culture Ministry is currently monitoring the territories liberated from occupation. "As for the ancient Albanian heritage in the liberated territories of the country, a working group was created, local and foreign experts were involved to conduct the appropriate monitoring. In case of revealing falsifications, this will be indicated in the documents and presented to the international community consisting of international experts. The change in the ownership of the historical and cultural heritage, its origin is contrary to the provisions of the 1954 Hague Convention," the statement added. To recap, Azerbaijani Culture Minister Anar Karimov voiced similar views during a press conference in Baku on February 3. Armenian aggression's consequences It should be noted that Armenia's aggression and illegal occupation caused irreparable damages to Azerbaijan's cultural heritage, which includes thousands of cultural values, including monuments of the world and national importance, mosques, temples, mausoleums, museums, art galleries, sites of archaeological excavations, libraries and rare manuscripts. Sixty-four of 67 mosques and Islamic religious sites were destroyed, greatly damaged, and desecrated. More than 900 cemeteries were destroyed and vandalized. The evidence of illegal "archaeological excavations" and so-called "restoration work" was found on the liberated Azerbaijani territories, confirming previous reports of Armenia's attempts to hide and falsify cultural, historical and scientific evidence, said an official letter addressed by Azerbaijan to the UN. The letter added that a modern workshop for the production of "ancient" khachkars - Armenian cross-stones was discovered in Azerbaijan's liberated Kalbajar region. These khachkars were oxidized and vinegar was used in the process of artificial aging and then they were buried as 'indisputable evidence' of 'centuries-old Armenian roots' in this region," the letter said. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said that hundreds of cultural institutions, 927 libraries with a book fund of 4.6 million, 22 museums and museum branches with more than 100,000 exhibits, 4 art galleries, 8 culture, and recreation parks, as well as one of the oldest settlements in the world in Fuzuli region - Azykh Cave, the Shusha State Historical and Architectural Reserve had become victims of the Armenian vandalism. Occupied by Armenian forces in 1993, Aghdam is known as the Hiroshima of the Caucasus for the level of destruction during the three decades of occupation. In 2020, as a result of Armenia's targeted missile attacks on Azerbaijani cities outside the war zone (Ganja, Barda, Tartar, and others), 100 Azerbaijani civilians, including 12 children were killed and over 400 were wounded. International human rights watchdogs Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch also verified the use of banned cluster bombs and rockets by Armenia in its attacks against Azerbaijani cities. Armenia extensively damaged the ecosystem, wildlife and natural resources in and around occupied Karabakh. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The issue of participation of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum has not been and is not discussed, ARMENPRESS reports Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said during the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of MP Taguhi Ghazaryan from Civil Contract Party. The Minister noted that the issue of Pashinyan's participation was actively discussed. "I want to assure you once again that the issue of the Prime Minister's participation in the Antalya event has not been discussed, is not being discussed. I can assume that this is a result of a certain wrong translation," Mirzoyan said. According to him, the word "he" in the part of the translation in which it was mentioned that he will participate, can refer to the country. According to Mirzoyan, an invitation has been sent on behalf of Ararat Mirzoyan and Ruben Rubinyan, and there is still no final decision. The decision will largely depend on the results of February 24 Vienna meeting, he said. The Minister also referred to the expected second meeting of the Armenian and Turkish Special Representatives for the normalization of relations in Vienna. "It could be supposed that the first meeting would be of a cognitive nature. I hope that this time substantive discussions will begin between the two special representatives, discussions aimed at opening the Armenia-Turkey border and establishing diplomatic relations," Mirzoyan said. According to him, the signals, messages and hints coming from official Ankara are mostly in a positive context, and our expectations are the same. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The statement of the minister of culture of Azerbaijan Anar Karimov is a proof that an attempt is being made to simply erase the traces of the presence of the Armenian people from Nagorno Karabakh, in their historical homeland in general, ARMENPRESS reports Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said at the National Assembly, referring to the statement of the Azerbaijani minister of culture about setting up a working group aimed at changing the identity of the Armenian cultural and religious monuments that have passed under the Azerbaijani control. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made a statement regarding the position and intention of the minister of culture of Azerbaijan. And in that statement we strongly condemned that approach. In our opinion, this is another proof of the fact that an attempt is being made to simply erase the traces of the presence of the Armenian people from Nagorno Karabakh, from their historical homeland in general, Mirzoyan said, adding that its also a challenge for the UN International Court of Justice in terms of the decision of December 7, 2021 on the application of urgent measures, which clearly obliges Azerbaijan to prevent, punish cases of vandalism of Armenian cultural heritage, religious heritage, including churches, other monuments, and sights. Azerbaijan must fulfill its obligation imposed by the court decision, Mirzoyan said. The Foreign Minister noted that the intervention of UNESCO becomes imperative here, and Armenia welcomed the intention of sending a UNESCO assessment mission to the region, about which Armenia and Azerbaijan exchanged views on February 4. "There are no clear dates, but the parties have reaffirmed the importance of such a visit to the region. And now, after this announcement, we are applying to the UNESCO, we are also planning non-online meetings to discuss this issue. In our opinion, that visit should take place in accordance with the principles established by the 1954 Convention on the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the event of armed conflict," Mirzoyan concluded. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan states that concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan and normalizing relations with Turkey is one of the goals of their government, as it has been one of the goals of all Armenian governments, ARMENPRESS reports Pashinyan said during the parliament-Cabinet Q&A session, answering the question of MP Tsovinar Vardanyan from the Civil Contract Party. Vardanyan reminded of the commitment declared by the Republic of Armenia to open an era of peaceful development, at the same time, Azerbaijan regularly announces about readiness to sign a peace agreement with the Republic of Armenia. The MP inquired about the Prime Minister's opinion on concluding a peace treaty. According to Pashinyan, on the one hand, an attempt is being made to create the impression in Armenia and outside Armenia that someone is trying to impose an agenda on Armenia, on the other hand, that Armenia is avoiding an agenda. "The signing of a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, the normalization of relations with Turkey and recording it with corresponding document, of course, is the goal of our Government, moreover, it was the goal of all the governments of Armenia. The purpose of the negotiation process on the Karabakh issue was to sign a peace treaty, it is recorded in all documents. Are we ready to sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan? "Yes," Pashinyan said. To the question if Armenia is ready to negotiate over that peace treaty, he gave a positive answer again. As for the format of the talks, Pashinyan said that the Armenian government's views on it have been emphasized several times. The Prime Minister assured that the goal of the negotiations has always been to sign a peace treaty. "We are ready for a concrete and substantiated conversation," said the Prime Minister. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The Russian Federation discusses the preservation of cultural and historical heritage during the contacts with official Baku and Yerevan, ARMENPRESS reports official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said at a briefing. "Of course, we are in favor of organizing the UNESCO mission to the region as soon as possible," she said. Zakharova reminded that on December 7, 2021, the joint statement of the Foreign Ministers of Russia, the United States and France called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue cooperation under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group to make real progress in the protection of humanitarian, including historical and cultural monuments. Zakharova reminded that on December 7, 2021, the joint statement of the Foreign Ministers of Russia, the United States and France called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue cooperation under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group to make real progress in humanitarian issues, including protection of historical and cultural monuments. Recently, the minister of culture of Azerbaijan announced that a working consisting of local and foreign specialists on the history and architecture of Caucasian Albania has been formed in Azerbaijan with the aim of removing "false traces left by Armenians" from the so-called religious temples of Caucasian Albania. The United States is encouraged by Frances diplomatic efforts regarding Ukraine and the recent talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday, TASS reports. February 9, 2022, 17:25 US Encouraged by Frances Diplomatic Efforts, Macron-Putin Talks White House STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 9, ARTSAKHPRESS: "We encourage and were encouraged by any efforts at diplomacy," she said, when asked to comment on the French leaders visit to Moscow. At the same time, she stressed that Washington could give no assessment on whether the talks could encourage Ukrainian de-escalation. "We still dont have any prediction of what President Putin will do. We cant control what Russia will do next," Psaki said. In her words, US President Joe Biden was set to hold talks with his French counterpart soon. "We will continue to be in very close contact with our French counterparts at a range of levels," she said. "The President has spoken with President Macron twice in the last week. I expect hell be engaged with him soon," the press secretary said. French President Emmanuel Macron visited Moscow on Monday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The French leader said prior to the talks that it was important to engage in dialogue with Russia, as it remains the only way to ensure security and stability in Europe. The meeting of the two leaders continued for more than five hours. Macron also held talks with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in Kiev on Tuesday. FILE PHOTO: The logo global online travel brand Expedia of is pictured at the International Tourism Trade Fair in Berlin By Emilio Parodi MILAN (Reuters) - Italian prosecutors are investigating two former finance chiefs of Booking.com in relation to allegations of unpaid taxes by the travel website company and have asked Dutch authorities to question them, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Italy's tax police in June last year alleged that Booking.com had evaded 153 million euros ($175 million) of value added tax (VAT) in connection with holiday rentals booked through its platform from 2013 to 2019. Booking.com, based in the Netherlands, works as an intermediary between property owners and guests. Private accommodation sites which are not professionally run often have no VAT number. But the Italian tax authorities believe the online travel agency should then collect tax in such cases. A Booking.com spokesperson said the company was cooperating with the Italian inquiry. "We are continuing to actively and transparently collaborate with the Italian tax authorities as part of our commitment to ensuring compliance with all local laws, and look forward to continuing the dialogue," the spokesperson said. The company has said that hotel and bed-and-breakfast owners using its platform were themselves responsible for collecting and paying the VAT they owed in Italy and other European Union countries. The Italian tax police have said they believe that failure to levy the tax allows Booking.com, owned by Delaware-based Booking Holdings Inc, to undercut other hotel groups in one of the world's most popular tourist markets. Italy's tax office has backed the findings of the tax police's initial audit into Booking.com and has started a process which allows the company to pay the outstanding sum or to contest any allegations of wrongdoing, the sources said. DATA SOUGHT Prosecutors in the Italian port city of Genoa last month sent their colleagues in Rotterdam a European Investigation Order (OIE) asking them to obtain data on, among other things, the company's turnover with private parties, the sources said. Story continues Italian magistrates also asked their Dutch colleagues to question Olivier Bisserier, chief financial officer at Booking.com from 2013 to 2019, and Marcela Martin, CFO from 2019 to 2020, both under investigation in relation to the tax allegations against Booking.com, the sources said. The two former Booking.com executives did not respond to Reuters' emails requesting comment. In the OIE document, the Italian magistrates noted that questioning the two former CFOs could provide clarity and possibly allow prosecutors to ask for the investigation into the two executives to be dropped. A first European Investigation Order sent by the Italians in August 2018 in relation to Booking.com was rejected by Rotterdam prosecutors in May 2019, while a second request with supplementary information from August 2019 has not been answered, the sources said. The Rotterdam prosecutor's office declined to comment. Booking.com accounts for 68.4% of hotel sales made by the online travel agencies in Italy, a 2021 study of European hotel association HOTREC showed. ($1 = 0.8744 euros) (Additional reporting by Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Editing by Keith Weir and Jane Merriman) Program empowers nearly 1,500 independent designers in 2021 to help take their creativity and fashions to the next level LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SHEIN, an online retailer of fashion, beauty and lifestyle products, recently marked the first anniversary of its fashion incubator, SHEIN X. The program aims to discover and empower indie designers by showcasing their talent to millions of SHEIN fans worldwide. Since launching in early 2021, SHEIN X has partnered with 1,442 designers and artists from over 20 countries. SHEIN expects the number to grow to over 3,000 this year. SHEIN Logo (PRNewsfoto/SHEIN) Notable designers featured over the past year include The SHEIN X 100K Challenge winner Sasha Ruddock, Voter's Choice Awardee Armand Mehidri, and design-duo Roberta Chang and Xinyi Xhao. Freak City LA's founder, Valerie Campbell, whose hip hop and streetstyle-inspired designs have appeared on A-list celebs, had the most popular SHEIN item in 2021 with 11,505 pieces sold. And while SHEIN helps with production and sales, each designer retains ownership of their designs and receives a percentage of the profit. The SHEIN X program has paid over $1.5 million to designers and artists throughout its inaugural year. George Chiao, President of SHEIN U.S., said: "The fashion industry is competitive, and many talented designers struggle to be seen. Through SHEIN X, our goal is to help elevate and empower the next generation of designers and artists. We are very proud that in just one year, we have helped introduce hundreds of creatives from diverse backgrounds to millions of people in the SHEIN global community." Core to the SHEIN X program is ensuring diversity among designers, playing a small but important role in fostering a fashion industry that reflects the diversity of its shoppers. Throughout the coming year, the brand will be showcasing many of these designers and artists. In celebration of Black History Month, SHEIN is spotlighting SHEIN X creatives in a video series. Story continues SHEIN X empowers emerging fashion designers and artists by providing the opportunity to partner with SHEIN and take their designs and brands to new heights. SHEIN provides these creatives with tools, marketing, manufacturing, and operational and financial support, so they can focus on what they lovecreating fashion and artwhile SHEIN helps them turn their designs into a business. About SHEIN: Founded in 2012, SHEIN is a leading global online retailer with operations in Guangzhou, Singapore and Los Angeles, along with other key markets. SHEIN reaches consumers across more than 150 countries and regions around the world. We place a premium on choice, delivering more than 6,000 new fashion, beauty and lifestyle products daily with more than 600,000 items available. Our mission is to help people express their individuality through the latest trends that are accessible and affordable. To learn more about SHEIN, follow us at shein.com and instagram.com/sheinofficial. Media Contact: media@sheingroup.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shein-celebrates-one-year-anniversary-of-shein-x-design-incubator-program-301477803.html SOURCE SHEIN (left to right) Lewis McAskie, Caitriona Balfe, Kenneth Branagh, Jamie Dornan and Ciaran Hinds with Jude Hill in front at the Irish premiere of Belfast (Brian Lawless/PA) (PA Wire) Sir Kenneth Branagh said its a hell of a day for my family as he was nominated for a string of Oscars for his autobiographical film Belfast while British contenders Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman and Dame Judi Dench also picked up nods. Cumberbatch received a nod for his role as a cruel rancher in Jane Campions western The Power Of The Dog, which leads the pack with 12 nominations, but will face stiff competition from frontrunner Will Smith who is nominated for his turn as the father of Venus and Serena Williams in King Richard. They are nominated alongside Andrew Garfield for his turn as Rent playwright Jonathan Larson in Tick, TickBoom!, Javier Bardem for Being The Ricardos and Denzel Washington for The Tragedy Of Macbeth. The nominations for Actor in a Leading Role go to... #Oscars pic.twitter.com/Legj3Y4bki The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 8, 2022 Sir Kenneths black-and-white film, inspired by his childhood in Northern Ireland, has garnered him best director and best original screenplay nominations, while the film is in the running for best picture, with a total of seven nods. He said: Its a long way from the streets of Belfast to the Academy Awards. Today, I think of my mother and father, and my grandparents how proud they were to be Irish, how much this city meant to them. They would have been overwhelmed by this incredible honour as am I. Sir Kenneth Branagh on the set of the film Belfast (Rob Youngson/Focus Features/PA) (PA Media) Given a story as personal as this one, its a hell of a day for my family, and the family of our film. I thank Academy voters for their incredible and generous recognition. We are honoured to be among the other extraordinary nominees in a remarkable year for films, and I salute the superb cast and crew of Belfast for their exceptional talent, comradeship and kindness. Story continues Sir Kenneth is nominated in the best directing category alongside Campion, who makes history as the first woman to be nominated for the best director Oscar twice. She was nominated for The Piano in 1994. The Power Of The Dog, her return to the big screen following a foray into television, is nominated for 12 prizes, including best picture, while stars Kirsten Dunst, her partner Jesse Plemons and co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee, are all recognised in supporting categories. The nominations for Actress in a Leading Role go to... #Oscars pic.twitter.com/utVajzOlsU The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 8, 2022 Colman, who won the best actress Oscar in 2019 for her role in The Favourite, has landed her second nomination in that category for her role as a mother reflecting on her past in The Lost Daughter. She picked up a supporting nod last year for her turn in The Father. She will compete for the best actress gong against Kristen Stewart for her performance as Diana, Princess of Wales in Spencer, Jessica Chastain for The Eyes Of Tammy Faye, Penelope Cruz for Parallel Mothers and Nicole Kidman for Being The Ricardos. Word is out - these are the nominees for Original Screenplay. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/yLNCWHOiYo The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 8, 2022 Dame Judi and Ciaran Hinds have both landed nominations for their performances in Belfast. Hinds, who was born in Belfast, is nominated in the best supporting actor category alongside The Power Of The Dogs Smit-McPhee and Plemons, Troy Kotsur for Coda, and JK Simmons for Being The Ricardos. The nominations for Actor in a Supporting Role go to... #Oscars pic.twitter.com/Rxe5Yz7Rie The Academy (@TheAcademy) February 8, 2022 Dame Judi is nominated for the best supporting actress prize alongside Irish actress Jessie Buckley for The Lost Daughter, Ariana DeBose for West Side Story, Aunjanue Ellis for King Richard, and Dunst for The Power Of The Dog. The 94th Oscars will take place on March 27 in Los Angeles. Central New York band The Ripcords and member Irv Lyons Jr., both regular performers in the Auburn area, have been nominated for a total of seven Native American Music Awards. The band is nominated for Group of the Year and Best Blues Recording for its live album "Unmasked." Its members received another nomination in Best Blues Recording for "The Roof is Leaking," a release by West Side Social Club, which consists of The Ripcords plus Earl Slick, Pete McMahon and Liz Strodel. Lyons, a member of the Oneida Nation, is nominated for Artist of the Year, Best Male Vocalist and Best Rock Recording for his release "Private Invitation," and Best Song From an Album for "Save the Planet" with the late Joanne Shenandoah. In a news release, Lyons said the nominations are "an amazing honor and great privilege." 'Private Invitation' is my best work to date," he said. "The most complete in lyrics and music. It is a snapshot of my experiences in love, friendship and the heart. These songs are all radio ready as any of them could be on the charts now. My true labor of love that hopefully people will enjoy, and play over and over. Joining Lyons in The Ripcords is his cousin, Rex Lyons, along with Jay Gould, Tom Witkowski and Steve Palumbo. The band, and Lyons, perform regularly at Moondog's Lounge, the city's outdoor summer concert series and other local venues. Irv Lyons Jr. said he believes "Unmasked" captures the band's ability to blend blues, rock, swing, jazz and more, as well as their own originals. "People will listen and hopefully see how we can deliver a great sound and performance in this live recording, he said. Voting for the awards is underway through March 31 at nativeamericanmusicawards.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 At St. John Paul II Academy, we study the best that has been thought and said. Matthew Arnold, a 19th century English poet and social commentator, suggested that reading the best will stream wisdom into our notions and actions. By examining the ideals of St. Paul, Mother Teresa, Benjamin Franklin, St. John Paul II, Aristotle and Martin Luther King Jr., we aspire to leave the world a better place and motivate future generations. In our daily devotional, the children copy a Bible verse, proverb or quote into a notebook and we discuss its meaning and how it applies to our lives. Januarys quotes were dedicated to honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s aspirations and dreams: what he was fighting for, why he was fighting, how he was fighting for it. We not only listened to the words of his famous 1963 I Have a Dream speech, but also examined the facial expressions of the immense (spelling word this week) sea of people and tone of MLKs voice. The children took note of how nearly 250,000 people were so attentive and peaceful! It was a laudable picture of hope and inspiration! Our culminating composition challenged the children to write about a dream they have for self or country dreams to better humanity! While choosing daily quotes, Miss Molly (my student teacher) and I realized that they apply perfectly to our curriculum. On day four of creation God created the sun, moon and stars. MLK said it best: But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. Literally, the darker the sky, the brighter the stars: Hence, you can see the stars better in the dark countryside than you can in the lit-up city. During a trip to the Rochester Museum and Science Center, we sat under the starry dome in the Strasenburgh Planetarium studying the January sky. The constellations Orion, Taurus and Gemini, along with the stars Castor, Pollux, Sirius, Rigel and Betelgeuse, and the planet Jupiter, dazzled us with their charming bright lights. Figuratively, we seek God in our darkest moments to find light in each struggle, a light that is unconditionally given to us through Gods grace. Our salvation was light in the dark moments of Jesuss passion and death. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that," as MLK said. If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well, MLK said. When we chose this quote, our grammatical history group happened to be studying Michelangelo and the dialectical group was studying Beethoven. Some call it coincidence; we call it divine intervention. In true Michelangelo fashion, the children went to the chapel to color masterpieces while lying down on their backs. Beethovens symphonies accompany and inspire us while we work on math, composition and handwriting. I highly recommend watching Beethoven Lives Upstairs," a touching story based on the life and music of the eccentric (another spelling word) Ludwig van Beethoven. The children witnessed Beethovens struggle and musical genius, and experienced a sense of empathy. If you cant fly, then run; if you cant run, then walk; if you cant walk, then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward," MLK said. While Miss Molly and I were preparing a description of JPII for her supervisor, we realized this quote applied perfectly to our educational model. In order for a child to keep moving forward, he/she must be placed at the appropriate skill level. Some fly, others run, some walk, others crawl; however, they are all happily and successfully moving forward. "So I say to you, seek God, and discover Him and make Him a power in your life. Without Him all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. Without Him, life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with Him, we are able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. With Him we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of Joy. St. Augustine was right we were made for God and we will be restless until we find rest in Him." MLK Jennifer T. Furnia is principal and head teacher at St. John Paul II Academy and the mother of three boys at the school. For more information, or to schedule a visit, visit jp2academy.com, call (315) 252-4393, email furniajp2@gmail.com or write to St. John Paul II Academy, 6201 Center St., Cayuga, NY 13034 or P.O. Box 1318, Auburn, NY 13021. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 By Trend Some 281 victims have been detected upon the "Tartar case" in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's Office told Trend. According to the message, 163 more people were detected and recognized as victims in this case over the past period, who were thoroughly interrogated, and the forensic medical expertise was carried out. Thus, 281 victims have been detected in this criminal case so far, including those detected during the previous investigation into the facts of torture, the message said. The process of identifying the victims and their interrogation upon the case is underway. ALBANY New York's governor and health officials are deciding whether to end or extend two COVID-19 mask mandates, one requiring face coverings in schools, the other mandating them in most other public indoor settings, like grocery stores, shops and offices. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, plans to announce Wednesday which rules will stay in place as the state emerges from a deadly wave of cases, fueled by the omicron variant. Hochul met Tuesday with school administrators and teacher unions. She has been hinting that statewide masking requirements for school staff and students put into place before the school year began will remain for now. Hochul has said she wants more kids to get vaccinated before she drops rules requiring masks in classrooms. The broader masking order, though, which has only been in place since December, might be coming to an end. Hochul has been re-evaluating that order every two weeks. During a legislative budget hearing Tuesday, Republican lawmakers pressed state health commissioner Mary Bassett to end the mask mandate in schools, too. Here's a look at where masks are required in New York as of Tuesday and how that could change. WHO MUST MASK UP? Nearly everyone over the age of 2 is required to wear masks in New York in any indoor public place that doesn't require proof of vaccination for entry. There is an exception for people who can't medically tolerate a face covering or mask. The mandate doesn't apply in private homes, but does include indoor workplaces at businesses that don't require workers to be vaccinated. People can take their masks off to eat in restaurants. Students, teachers and staff at public elementary and secondary schools must also wear masks. WHO MADE THESE RULES? The state health commissioner got the power to require face coverings in certain settings, including schools, under a regulation approved by a vote of the state's Public Health and Health Planning Council in late August. The power of the commissioner and the governor to mandate masks has been challenged in court. One lower court judge on Long Island ruled recently that the state's constitution didn't give either the power to mandate masks, but an appeals court put that decision on hold for now while it evaluates the issue. DO THESE MANDATES HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE? The general mask mandate for public places is set to expire Feb. 10, unless the administration extends it. Bassett's authority to require masks in schools will sunset on Feb. 21, but that could be extended, too, by executive order. New York state Department of Health spokesperson Jill Montag said Monday that regulation is "expected to be renewed." WHY IS NEW YORK LEANING TOWARD KEEPING SCHOOLKIDS MASKED? Many Republican lawmakers, as well as some school leaders, argue that masks make it hard for kids to socially interact and that mandates are overreach at a time when the state's COVID-19 surge has eased. But Bassett said Tuesday that state health officials are focused on protecting children at a time when public health experts warn that vaccination rates among children remain low and that the threat of COVID-19 hasn't lessened enough. Bassett said the administration is looking at overall COVID-19 hospitalization and infection trends rather than looking at a single "magic number" for when COVID-19 rates will be low enough to lift the mask mandate at schools. More children and teachers are getting infected now than were at the start of the school year, when the masking rule was put in place, despite the easing of the omicron wave. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends universal masking in schools. WHAT ARE OTHER STATES DOING? New York is among a minority of states that require most people to wear masks in indoor public places. Other states, including New Jersey, plan to lift indoor masking requirements in schools by the end of February or Early March. California said it's ending its indoor masking requirement for vaccinated people next week, but keeping in place the mandate for schoolchildren. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Cayuga County-area elected officials and water quality advocates are calling on New York state to add Owasco Lake to an official list of impaired waterbodies, a step that would require the state to form a detailed pollution cleanup plan. The state Department of Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting public comments through Friday, Feb. 11, for its latest proposed impaired waters list that must be maintained under the federal Clean Water Act. Owasco Lake, despite significant issues with harmful algal blooms in recent years, is not on the list. Local advocates working on lake quality issues want that to change. The Auburn City Council and the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency have both passed resolutions in recent weeks calling for Owasco Lake to be put on the list so that a federally overseen cleanup plan called a Total Maximum Daily Load can be developed and put into action. The Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council is also drafting a statement advocating for the change, and the Owasco Town Board will vote on a resolution this week, town Supervisor Ed Wagner told The Citizen. Owasco and Auburn are the legal purveyors of drinking water taken from the lake. The advocacy for inclusion on the impaired list comes as two other major lake quality initiatives are nearly finalized. How to comment To file a comment with the state Department of Environmental Conservation about whether Owasco Lake should be added to the impaired waters list, send an email to 4pwlinfo@dec.ny.gov and mail a correspondence to Water Assessment and Implementation Section, NYSDEC, Bureau of Water Assessment and Management, 625 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12233-3502. New rules and regulations for the watershed were approved by Owasco and Auburn in 2020, but still require final authorization from the state Department of Health. In addition, the Owasco Lake Watershed Management Council, which is comprised of representatives from watershed municipalities, is nearing the completion of a Nine Element Watershed Plan, another type of pollution reduction plan that state officials urged for Owasco Lake when HABs became an acute threat to the drinking water supply in 2016. Both the Auburn City Council and Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency resolutions cited numerous issues affecting Owasco Lake in recent years, most notably the proliferation of HABs in warmer months that have made recreational use off limits at certain times and locations and that have shown up in raw water that enters filtration plants. At its meeting Thursday, the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency board debated the merits of being added to the impaired list. Board member Dan Welch, associate director of the Cayuga County Cornell Cooperative Extension office, questioned if putting Owasco Lake on the list undermined the other efforts. "(Are we saying) that we don't think the 9E plan and the rules and regulations are sufficient?" he asked. "A TMDL would be over and above the rules and regulations and a 9E." "I don't think they're mutually exclusive at all," said board member Steve Lynch, Cayuga County planning and economic development director. "I think they are complimentary efforts." Board member Doug Kierst, who is the executive director of the Cayuga County Soil & Water Conservation District, questioned if the impaired water list and development of a TMDL goes too far. "How many layers of regulation do we need to protect the water bodies?" he asked, noting that Auburn's and Owasco's filtration systems have kept HABS out of treated water that reaches consumers. "The way this resolution sounds, we shouldn't even be taken a step into the streams because they're so bad," he said. "I mean we always seem to be fighting to get on these lists all the time that people are trying to get off the lists of. Are we seeing ghosts?" Board member Eileen O'Connor, Cayuga County's environmental health director, noted that in addition to HABs in recreational water, disinfection byproducts have been elevated in multiple municipal systems that draw Owasco Lake water in recent years because there have been elevated levels of organic materials. "There are real potential health impacts," she said. "It is something that is a concern that needs to be addressed." The board approved the resolution by a vote of 6-2, with Welch and Kierst voting against. The Auburn City Council vote, held Jan. 20, was unanimous in support of calling on the state to provide a TDML for Owasco Lake. "This is another tool in the toolshed and I don't see any compelling reason not to support this," Councilor Ginny Kent said. Councilor Jimmy Giannettino referenced a sentence in the city's resolution that cited a state constitutional amendment approved by voters in November that added the right to clean air and clean water. "We don't need to say anymore, we have a fundamental right it is codified in law in New York state to clean air and clean water," he said. "All's we're asking is for the governor to ensure that happens. I hope that she listens." Jeremy Boyer can be reached at (315) 282-2231 or jeremy.boyer@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @CitizenBoyer Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Honda Motor highlighted its commitment towards ensuring compliance with laws and sentiments of every country it operates in. Honda Motor Company, parent of Honda Car India, late Tuesday evening issued a statement over a tweet made by an independently-owned dealer in Pakistan on the struggle for freedom in Kashmir.' Distancing itself from the tweet, Honda Motor said that its policy doesn't allow it to comment on race, politics, religion and social issues in any part of the world. The statement from the automaker was posted on the Twitter handle on Honda Car India after it faced enormous backlash in India over the said tweet. The company termed the social media posts as unauthorized, saying, Statement contrary to this effect by any associate, dealer or stakeholder is not in line with its policy." (Also read | After Hyundai, Kia India issues statement on row over Kashmir tweet. Read here) The company highlighted its commitment towards ensuring compliance with laws and sentiments of every country it operates in, saying, Any hurt caused to this effect is regretted." Statement from Honda Motor Co., Ltd. pic.twitter.com/6huBKOllLY Honda Car India (@HondaCarIndia) February 8, 2022 In distancing itself from unauthorized social media posts from dealers in Pakistan and apologizing for hurting the sentiments of people in India, Honda joined the likes of Suzuki Motor, Kia and Hyundai Motor. The tweets related to Kashmir from Hyundai, Kia and Suzuki dealerships, apart from other non-automotive brands like Pizza Hut, KFC and others in Pakistan led to swift and severe backlash in India with netizens calling for a boycott of the products. The matter was also raised in Rajya Sabha where in case of Hyundai, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal confirmed that the Indian government has asked the carnaker for a better response, after it had issued a statement on Sunday. This was followed by a statement from the parent company which re-affirmed that Hyundai Motor India has no association with the said distributor in Pakistan. (Read full statement here) Government also summoned the South Korean foreign minister on the matter post which the minister issued a statement that he "regretted the offence" caused to the people and government of India by the said social media post. First Published Date: India wants Tesla to manufacture its EVs locally.The Tesla facility in China's Shanghai is one of its largest and serves as a base for not just the Chinese market but products manufactured here are also sent to several European markets. The wait for Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) in India has no end in sight as while the US auto maker wants cuts in import duty for its products, the Indian government wants Tesla to manufacture products locally. Union Minister Krishan Pal Gurjar recently made the views amply clear when he said there cannot be a situation where the market is India but jobs are created in China. The Indian government has previously been categorical that Tesla needs to manufacture locally before any tax concessions can be considered. Responding to a query on Tesla in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Gurjar, the Minister of State for Heavy Industries, once again highlighted the government's position and said "the company wants workers from China and market of India. This is not possible in Modi government... our government's policy is that if India market is to be used, job opportunities will have to be given to Indians." Gurjar was responding to a question by Congress member K Suresh. Want to ask the member if they want India's money to go to China?" asked Gurjar. That company has not applied as per our policy. For that (company), doors of India are open, they can come apply as per policy, set up company, give jobs to our people, increase government revenue." The EV movement in India is gaining momentum even if it is largely being powered by products in the two and three-wheeler space at the moment. Luxury car makers like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar Land Rover and BMW have brought in products while mass-market players like Tata Motors, Hyundai and MG Motor India also have options available. But eyes are still peeled for Tesla, the world's largest EV player. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, in a tweet reply recently, said that his company isn't in India yet due to challenges with the government. A number of state governments were quick to invite - and woo - Musk. From West Bengal to Punjab and Maharashtra, invites were sent across. But in the Indian context, crucial factors like import tax cuts can only be decided by the central government and at the moment, it appears Tesla may be reluctant to manufacture locally. (Also read: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has found a friend in Aaditya Thackeray. Here is why) Globally, the Tesla facility in China's Shanghai is one of its largest and serves as a base for not just the Chinese market but products manufactured here are also sent to several European markets. First Published Date: Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Honda Motor Company (called Honda for short) said on Wednesday its monthly China auto retail sales amounted to 146,641 units in Jan. 2022, sliding 6.9% from the year-ago period, while also falling 13.1% from the previous month. The year-on-year decrease entirely resulted from the downturn confronting Dongfeng Honda, whose Jan. retail sales tumbled 26% to 66,668 units. Nevertheless, GAC Honda still scored an 18.8% increase year-over-year with 79,973 vehicles sold last month. The sales of the vehicles armed with the hybrid powertrain system Sport Hybrid reached 21,206 units in Jan. 2022, sliding 4.3% from a year earlier. As for the sales performance of key models, there were seven models, namely, the ACCORD, the VEZEL, the BREEZE, the CR-V, the CIVIC, the XR-V, and the INSPIRE all recording retail sales of over 10,000 units in January. Notably, the ACCORD was the only one that recorded over 20,000 units of sales. Honda Motor plans to roll out 10 electric vehicle (EV) models in China in 5 years as part of its global electrification campaign, the Japanese automaker said in Oct. 2021. The first twothe e:NS1 and the e:NP1 SUVswill go on sale from early 2022 through both Dongfeng Honda and GAC Honda. They are also the first Honda-branded EV models in China. Beijing (Gasgoo)- Nissan Motor started the year of 2022 with a decline in total sales in China. However, its Venucia brand managed to over double its monthly sales volume in the meantime, the automaker disclosed on February 9th. SYLPHY; photo credit: Nissan Motor In the first month of 2022, Nissan Motor sold a total of 133,467 vehicles in China, declining 8.7% year on year. The automaker blames the scattered COVID breakouts, and the crimped raw material supply. With 111,333 vehicles sold, Nissan Motors passenger vehicle joint venture, Dongfeng Motor Co. & Ltd. (DFL), saw a 11.4% slump in sales compared to a year ago (including Nissan, Venucia, and Infiniti brands). Specifically, Venucia sold 10,008 vehicles, more than doubled from the previous year, at 126%, while Nissan sold 100,018 vehicles in January. Nissans Sylphy series maintained its leading position in sales, with 49,982 vehicles sold in the country. Notably, the automakers seventh-generation Nissan ALTIMA created the best sales record within the company, with 18,739 vehicles sold in January, surging 19.1% year on year. The light commercial vehicle sector of the group (including Dongfeng Automobile Co. & Ltd. and Zhengzhou Nissan) managed a 7.4% year-on-year increase in its January sales to 22,134 vehicles. In January 2022, the four Japanese automakers, Toyota Motor, Honda Motor, Nissan Motor, and Mazda Motorall logged year-on-year decrease in their China auto retail sales as car outputs were whittled down by the chip supply constraint and the COVID-19 cases. Although Toyota Motor still outsold others, it faced the biggest year-on-year decline. The sliding performance was mainly due to the clusters of coronavirus infections in Tianjin, where its main plant is located. The operations at Toyota's joint-venture factory in Tianjin were halted from Jan. 10 to 21 because of the impact of compulsory COVID-19 testing of city residents. ALLION; photo credit: FAW-Toyota According to Nikkei's report, the sales of FAW-Toyota plunged 46% over a year earlier to about 41,000 units in Jan. 2022, while GAC Toyota still scored a slight growth of 0.8% with 87,500 vehicles sold. Besides, the premium auto brand Lexus saw its China sales drop 27.9% from the year-ago period to 17,500 units last month due to the impact of component shortage. ACCORD; photo credit: GAC Honda Honda Motor Company said its monthly China auto retail sales amounted to 146,641 units in Jan. 2022, sliding 6.9% from the year-ago period. The downturn entirely flew from the decrease in Dongfeng Honda's sales, which tumbled 26% year on year. Nevertheless, GAC Honda still achieved an 18.8% increase year-over-year despite the decline in overall sales. The joint venture put two new products, the INTEGRA and the new Odyssey, onto the market in Dec. 2021, which served as new sales drivers. 14th-generation Sylphy; photo credit: Dongfeng Nissan Nissan's China retail sales in Jan. amounted to 133,467 units, dipping 8.7% year on year. Dongfeng Nissan, the passenger vehicle business unit of the joint venture Dongfeng Motor Company Limited (DFL), saw its Jan. retail sales dwindle 11.4% to 111,333 units, 100,018 and 10,008 units of which were under Nissan and Venucia brands respectively. Notably, Infiniti has been under the management of DFL since January. According to Nissan's sales results, the premium brands China sales were around 1,300 units in January. As to key models, the sales of the seven-generation ALTIMA and the Qashqai jumped 19.1% and 25.4% year over year respectively to 18,739 and 20,486 units in Jan. 2022. Meanwhile, the sales of the Sylphy series reached 49,982 units. Mazda3 Axela; photo credit: Changan Mazda Mazda's China retail volume fell 7% from the year-ago period last month, representing downward movement for 10 consecutive months. Its best-selling model of the month was still the Mazda3 Axela, with 11,413 vehicles sold. The company also announced 3,372 units and 1,862 units of Jan. sales volume for the Mazda CX-5 and CX-30 respectively. POMPANO BEACH, Fla. M.D. Science Lab, makers of the Swiss Navy brand, has become an official sponsor of the New York Fashion Week x Runway 7 Fashion Show. 2022 New York Fashion Week runway show started Tuesday and continues at Sony Hall on February 10 and 11, with Runway 7 Fashion managing the overall vertical integration of top fashions with some of the most recognizable brands available. Runway 7 Fashion curates forward-thinking products that represent quality, cultural diversity, and fashionable functionality. M.D. Science Labs Swiss Navy brand was chosen for their focus on intimate wellness. This is such an incredible honor, said Briana Watkins, M.D. Science Labs vice president of sales and marketing. Being able to be a sponsor of New York Fashion Week x Runway 7 Fashion Show really illustrates our belief in Runway 7 Fashions experiential platform melding fashion with engaging brands. Were looking forward to 2022s New York Fashion Week for so many more reasons this year! Runway 7 Fashion is a premier runway producer managing designer brands and presenting a world class stage to showcase the latest in fashion. M.D. Science Labs mission has always been to create products that elevate consumers personal experiences and deliver the possibility of a healthier intimate life. To view the latest Swiss Navy product range, please visit swissnavy.com. At the most recent meeting of the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) academic affairs and educational attainment committee, Northern Arizona University presented a proposal for a pilot program that would change the admissions criteria for students entering the university beginning in fall 2023. The six-year pilot would omit the two foreign language requirements from the 16 courses needed for guaranteed admission to the university. It would also allow students to count additional courses (consumer math, for example) as one of the four math requirements. The GPA limit (3.0) for assured admissions would not change. These changes are meant to make NAUs admission standards closer to high school graduation requirements, with the hope that doing so will make attending college more accessible to Arizona students. Our proposal is not to lower the admissions standards, rather to elevate our commitment to better serving the underserved by eliminating barriers[for] highly talented, diverse students, who, with the right level of support can succeed at NAU, said NAU President Jose Luis Cruz Rivera. Arizona State University data was mentioned several times throughout the discussion, specifically addressing that there are around 50,000 students in Arizona high schools that dont provide on-site access to all of the 16 courses required for admission to the states public universities. While the largest percentage are only missing the second-language requirements, according to ABOR enrollment and student access special advisor Jane Kuhn, the number includes students in grades 9-12 as well as schools that provide fewer than the 14 courses that would be required by the pilot. ABOR universities currently allow students who dont meet a few core requirements to be admitted on a case-by-case basis through a delegated admission process. Students looking at the stated admissions criteria may not realize they have the option to apply, according to NAU Vice President for Enrollment Management Anika Olson, who presented the proposal. That ABOR already has a two-tiered admissions system was part of regent Ron Shoopmans concerns about the pilot -- that it solved the wrong problem. One of the problems isnt necessarily your standards or the change to the standard, because youre able to accept them today, he said. There is nothing to prevent NAU from targeting those students with a letter that says, 'If you don't have the 16 core courses, NAU has a solution for you'. Theres a way to do this even without the pilot program. I really support what were trying to do here and I think we need to figure it out, but we have so many other problems that are bigger than just that issue, including the fact that there's confusion over admissions standards. Concerns about the pilots impact mostly had to do with NAUs public perception -- that it would be seen as an easier school to get into -- making its degrees seem less valuable. Its quite possible, especially if we make a big deal out of this, that the message is its easier to get into NAU than it is the other two schools, therefore the degree must not be worth quite as much. That sends a terrible message to the alumni and to the public in regard to what you're trying to achieve, regent Robert Herbold said. In response, Karen Pugliesi, NAU's interim provost, said the university's reputation could be built on the impact it has on students -- which she described as a student's growth between enrollment and graduation as well as their career paths after graduation. In response to a question about the impact the change would have on the number of students at the Flagstaff campus, Olson said she expected the growth to be small initially and increase over time. She also said NAU hoped to focus more on its statewide locations going forward. I think some of the students that may today be joining us in Flagstaff may in the future join us at one of our statewide locations, she said. Flagstaff is a dense place, and we are hoping to spread the wealth to our statewide locations as were looking at our road map initiatives and other academic programs at different sites. Other concerns included how NAU would handle the finances and communications related to the pilot. Despite stated concerns, most regents present at the meeting expressed support for the pilot program. A common theme was that the differentiation between the state universities would allow them to reach a wider range of Arizona students. Admissions requirements are currently the same across all three universities, a policy that has been in place for decades. I think we have pigeonholed ourselves in this state in terms of who goes to college, and I think we have missed an opportunity to serve more broadly, said ABOR Chair Lyndel Manson. I think [this is] going to be truly important moving forward to meet the broader needs of the state. I really do think that this is the right direction to move in terms of differentiating and making each of the universities distinctive from each other. ASUs president, Michael Crow, said the program was one of the five most important items that has been considered in ABOR meetings he had been a part of. This should be a big deal that ABOR has broadened access to the public universities in Arizona, he said. This will help us at ASU and probably the University of Arizona, too, to help students find...the right pathways and to make things happen. ...I think there are huge opportunities here. NAU currently has programs in place to support students admitted through the delegation process. Olson listed academic support, intensive advising and adjustments to NAUs college success program as complimentary services that would also be offered to students in the pilot program. We dont have evidence at this time that suggests that were taking a great risk, Pugliesi said. The uncertainty lies in...the other characteristics of this population of students that havent been applying. Were focused on the development of talent, development of human potential and giving these students an opportunity to have the benefits of the programs that we offer and not create a barrier that we dont have a good reason to impose. The pilots six-year timeline would allow time to learn and make adjustments as it goes, according to Olson. We [will] have some deep and long learning about how those students are performing, allowing us to adjust and shift on some of our new programs coming this fall, she said. Cruz Rivera said this was a piece of the bigger picture he is hoping to develop at NAU through efforts like the strategic road-map currently in development. At the end of the day, what we want to be able to say to the people of Arizona, notwithstanding that some of the high schools have bigger issues, is if you are taking the classes that are available to you and youre doing a good job getting a 3.0 GPA and you come from a family in Arizona that makes less than x amount, that you have a place at NAU with zero out-of-pocket expenses or tuition and fees. The proof [will be]if our students will be very well sought after for high-demand and high-wage jobs in the Arizona economy and well-positioned for post-graduate pursuit of studies, he said. The committee did not take action on the proposal during the meeting. Further discussion and possible approval is expected to take place throughout the spring semester. A recording of the full meeting can be found at azregents.edu/about/abor-live. Love 3 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 3 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova The Azerbaijan Culture Ministry has welcomed the agreement reached on sending a UNESCO mission to Armenia and Azerbaijan in the near future. "As it is known, there have been rich examples of the historical, cultural and religious heritage of Azerbaijanis living in Armenia for centuries. In 1869, according to statistics published in the "Caucasian Calendar for 1870 by the Office of the Russian Governorate in the Caucasus, there were 269 mosques in the Iravan province alone. This list includes the Khan's palace in Iravan, the walls of the Irevan fortress, as well as numerous baths, caravanserais, tombs, cemeteries that existed on the territory of modern Armenia, the ministry said. The Culture Ministry expressed its hope that the upcoming UNESCO mission will be important in terms of detailed study, monitoring, and documentation of the heritage of the Azerbaijani people on the territory of Armenia. In general, 210 historical-cultural monuments, 30 cultural houses, 19 libraries, 8 musical schools, 7 museums, one gallery and one theater will be restored in Shuha city. As a result of Armenian vandalism, hundreds of cultural institutions, including libraries, palaces of culture, clubs and other cultural institutions. Over 700 historical and cultural monuments registered by the state before the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were looted, including the 11 and 15-span Khudaferin bridges in Jabrayil, Ganjasar and Khudavend sanctuaries in Kalbajar, the mausoleum in Aghdam's Khachin Turbetli village, Azykh cave in Fuzuli as well as Shusha state historical and architectural reserve. On Jan. 26 the Arizona Wildlife Federation (AZWF) and National Wildlife Federation (NWF) hosted an informative roundtable with the hunting and angling community of Flagstaff to discuss how climate action is needed to preserve and enhance sporting opportunities. The discussion featured a panel of climate experts, ecologists, politicians and sporting advocates. Panel members focused on sharing their experience with climate change, informing the sporting community and introducing the concept of natural infrastructure. The hunter-angler community has not necessarily embraced the climate change conversation, said Aaron Kindle, lifelong Western hunter and NWFs director of sporting advocacy. Hed like that to change. As long-term drought, loss of habitat and other effects of climate change become more evident, the sporting community can no longer ignore the consequences. Ive been all around the country talking to hunters and anglers, Kindle said. And the one thing that's constant about all those conversations is that things are different. In Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas, the ducks were late. There are wildfires in the West, water issues, coastal erosion and bigger hurricanes. Everywhere I go -- whether or not folks want to say its climate change -- they all say things are off. Things are different. What we need to figure out is what were going to do about it. Because of their intimate tie to the land, Kindle believes no one is better positioned to offer authentic field knowledge, about our changing climate than the sporting community. Were the ones with the jump, he said. Its hard to imagine folks who would know any better about what we need to do on the landscape. The question of whether climate change is happening in northern Arizona has long been answered, said Brian Klimowski, meteorologist-in-charge at the National Weather Service station in Flagstaff. A self-described numbers guy, Klimowksi presented on the data signals that demonstrate a changing climate in the region. For the past 30 years, you see the temperature rising across Arizona at an average of about two to three degrees, Klimowski said. Precipitation is a different story, he said. Rather than a simple decrease, the data shows a redistribution of precipitation at various elevations around northern Arizona. Still, even steady precipitation cannot compensate for increased evaporation. Because the temperatures are warming, we are having more frequent and more severe droughts even with the same amount of precipitation, Klimowski said. In Arizona, droughts lead to wildfire, making fire management and forest restoration a key piece of climate action. But forest treatments and fire management require millions of dollars in funding. This is where the concept of natural infrastructure comes in, said Rep. Tom OHalleran. By recognizing wild lands as infrastructure, it becomes easier to secure government funding for their maintenance and protection. This shift in thinking recently helped allot $3 billion to wildfire management in the West via the infrastructure bill. OHalleran also spoke to the idea that the boundaries between healthy forests and healthy human communities have gone up in smoke as wildfire destroys more homes and more lives each year. Thats infrastructure in the community that has to be replaced. Those lives can't be replaced. The ecosystem of the wildlife and the plants cannot be replaced overnight, OHalleran said. There is a lot going on that requires an investment in the future, not just our generation, but our children's generation and generations after. We have to adapt. Natural infrastructure keeps us from re-inventing the wheel, said Andrew Sanchez Meador, executive director of the Ecological Restoration Institute and associate professor in Northern Arizona Universitys School of Forestry. It takes the idea of human-made green infrastructure a step further, he added. Rather than engineering green solutions, we look at the system, we try to understand the ecology of it, and we try to understand how it evolved to be over time. And then we restore that system in order to get the resilience back into the system, he said. In that process, these nature based solutions usually result in meaningful ecological, economic and social values being served." The sporting community will be some of the first to receive the benefits of well-maintained natural infrastructure, said Kindle. Wetlands are a great example, he said. They filter pollutants, they slow runoff and they reduce water temperatures. They also provide habitat for fish and wildlife, for ducks, for young fish -- things that us sportsmen and women care about a lot. Tice Supplee, a 29-year veteran of the Arizona Game and Fish Department, current president of the Arizona Elk Society, and Audubons Arizona director of Bird Conservation, offered firsthand accounts of the changes shes observed and promoted volunteering as an alternative to government action. In her time, Supplee has seen mesquite take over juniper forest, ponderosa pine burn only to come back as chaparral, dog hair thickets grow to impenetrable densities, and ill-timed precipitation reduce plants foraged by elk, deer, and pronghorn. As a hunter, part of what we've had to deal with over the decades is a combination of the changing climate and management decisions that were made historically, she said, referring to how a century of fire suppression has caused forests to overgrow and increased the occurrence of mega-fires. She agrees that supporting natural infrastructure is the way forward. Any good hunter knows that the place to find your deer, your elk, is to find a recent burn. So getting fire back into the system, as part of your natural infrastructure is really key for your community here, she said. Anything we can do through natural infrastructure to enhance the growth of grasses and forbs and brush that game animals use for nourishment, that's going to benefit those herds. In Supplees experience, volunteers make up the frontlines of wildlife protection, and her big message to the hunting and fishing community was to join in the action. Volunteer with these organizations: Arizona Wildlife Federation, Arizona Elk Society, Arizona Antelope Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Arizona Deer Association, Mule Deer Foundation, she said. All these organizations organize volunteer opportunities. Some of them also raise a tremendous amount of money through fundraising events. And that money is turned right around and put on the ground for conservation for these animals. Loyd Barnett, longtime sportsman and regional director for AZWF, testified about his observations of long-term drought and the way hes changed his turkey hunting to adapt to a hotter and drier climate. He also echoed Supplees call for volunteers. Theres hope, because there are things that we can do, he said. There are a lot of people trying to do them, and a lot of organizations. Each of us can help them by volunteering. Along with joining the front lines, its time for the sporting community to step up and advocate for natural infrastructure, Kindle said, circling back to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill at the end of the panel discussion. There's a lot of great resources in there, he said. There's funds for things like hazardous fuel mitigation, wildlife crossings, water projects that save water, all of which benefit our wildlife and our sporting opportunities. These things help us. And so we need to be advocates. Sean Golightly can be reached at sgolightly@azdailysun.com Love 6 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Al Ahram Weekly and Ahram Online, Tuesday 8 Feb 2022 The recent letter by members of the European Parliament criticising Egypts human-rights record is an assault on Egypts sovereignty and its right to govern its own citizens, writes Azza Radwan Sedky by Azza Radwan Sedky The recent letter by members of the European Parliament criticising Egypts human-rights record is an assault on Egypts sovereignty and its right to govern its own citizens, writes Azza Radwan Sedky In a deeply disconcerting and objectionable manoeuvre, 175 members of the European Parliament have sent a joint letter to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) asking for the establishment of a human rights monitoring and reporting mechanism on Egypt. The letter is meddlesome, abusive, and injudicious. It delves into information that the 175 MEPs could hardly have known had they not been told what to say by contentious sources. The letter cites, often by name, those detained, charged, released, sentenced, and executed in Egypt. But it neglects to mention any wrongdoings committed by those mentioned, claiming instead that they were imprisoned for no particular reason or under false pretenses or tortured inside prison. The letter also faults the ousting of former president Mohamed Morsi, ignoring the fact that 33 million Egyptians called on Morsi to step down. It goes on to say that since then the Egyptian authorities have been ruling the country with an iron fist, brutally and systematically repressing all forms of dissent, as though Morsis rule was characterised by blissful equality and serenity. It might be as well to inform the signatories of this letter that Egypt remains vulnerable today and that without the current control over potential disorder it could fall victim to the same turmoil faced by other states in the region that it also once faced. In case the MEPs do not know, Egypt is surrounded by peril and by terrorists and extremists and those who would love to see the country plummet back to the mayhem that earlier existed. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, replying to a journalists question, has said that he is responsible for 100 million Egyptians who live in turbulent times and alongside people who follow extremist modes of thought and do not like to co-exist in peace. The letter falsely accuses Egypt of arbitrarily detaining thousands of perceived dissidents. But a case in point is the arrest of Hossam Menoufi Sallam, one of the founders of the terrorist group Hasm. Sallam was not in prison or arbitrarily detained and tortured, as some extremist websites have claimed, and which probably those who signed the letter accept. In fact, he was in Sudan when the Egyptian authorities tried him in absentia. His later arrest thus undermines the credibility of such rumours. May be the signatories to the European letter should check their stories. The letter continues with a hodgepodge of slander. It argues that international organisations have documented a range of human rights abuses in Egypt, including the arbitrary detention of women on morality grounds, the trial of children along with adults, the continued crackdown on members of the LGBT community, and the arrest and prosecution of members of religious minorities on blasphemy charges. But Egypt is not Europe. Its culture, norms, and social attitudes are different. Rather than apply Western standards to Egyptians, Europeans should accept Egyptians merits and idiosyncrasies for what they are worth. As for religious minorities, I believe the signatories to the letter are confusing extremists with minorities. European countries have passed emergency laws to deal with similar threats to those that Egypt faces, and yet their positions have not been viewed as contrary to human rights standards. When it comes to Egypt, it is a different ballgame altogether. Even the new Egyptian National Human Rights Strategy is, according to the letter, drafted in an untransparent manner and without consultation with independent human rights organisations. I wonder if the countries that the signatories belong to consult with international organisations before they set their laws. Who gives these countries the right to tell Egypt what to do? The signatories to the letter are also concerned about the international communitys persistent failure to take action to address Egypts human rights crisis. They question the continued support to the Egyptian government and reluctance to even speak up against pervasive abuses. In an effort to present the reaction of the international community to Egypt, the letter does exactly the opposite. It reiterates the international communitys acknowledgement of Egypts role in regional security, stability, and migration management and the statements made by officials on high level visits and in bilateral meetings that often praise the Egyptian government. Both the international community and the UN will be reluctant to act on the demands set out in the European letter. The international community is very much aware of the role that a stable Egypt plays amidst the havoc that persists in the region, and it stands behind Egypt in its efforts to protect its land and citizens. In contrast to the picture the letter draws, Egypt today is living through its best years by opening up to the world at large, reaping the fruits of its citizens tenacious and zealous efforts, and providing a better life for all matters that the letter fails to observe or cares to mention. These successes are what human rights are all about; disappointingly, these European parliamentarians have only jaded perceptions. Despite the picture presented in the letter, Egyptian diplomats participate in peacekeeping summits worldwide and mediate on regional issues. Egypt will also host the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh later this year. In the light of the strategic relations between China and Egypt, Egypts president is in China at present at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The UN is also very much aware of the role Egypt plays in the region. In October 2021, while celebrating 76 years of partnership and close cooperation with Egypt, the UN resident coordinator in Egypt expressed her deep appreciation to the government and the long-standing cooperation in maintaining global peace, security and sustainable development. Egypt has always been a key contributor to the United Nations and a strong multilateral partner, she said. The MEPs who signed the recent letter believe that they are licensed to judge other countries and that it is within their rights to dictate their rules. Well, they are not, and it isnt. The vision they present is unsound, exaggerated, and intentionally authoritarian. More importantly, it is an assault on Egypts sovereignty and its right to govern its people. Pressuring the Egyptian government does not work. Working with the Egyptian government will. * The writer is the author of Cairo Rewind on the First Two Years of Egypts Revolution, 2011-2013. *A version of this article appears in print in the 10 February, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. When Game and Fish caught wind of a rancher in Natrona allegedly killing wildlife without a license in 2019 and rumored to be helping others do so on his land they set up a sting. Their investigator bought a $300 trespass voucher to hunt on Gary Lee Ferriers private land, which he had been advertising on his social media. During three days on Ferriers ranch, his arrest affidavit states, investigators heard him describe his illegal hunting, saw some of the illegally harvested animals and were given beers with antelope hair and blood on the bottom of the cans. They were served antelope jerky, and packages of jerky labeled organic beef. After the trip, they tested their evidence, the affidavit states. All of the jerky came back as antelope. Nine months later, Game and Fish tested 75 more bags marked as beef jerky found during a search of the ranch, packaged professionally and advertised for sale online. No beef was found in those bags, the affidavit states, but testing found the meat came from at least three pronghorn and three mule deer. Ferrier pleaded no contest to nine of the 26 charges against him in July, court documents show. Those charges include wanton destruction of game including mule deer and antelope, hunting big game without a license and selling edible portions of big game. A forensic lab found parts of 18 pronghorn and mule deer poached by Ferrier. Now, following his plea agreement with the state, the former Natrona County rancher has been ordered to pay $45,000 in fines and restitution. District Attorney Dan Itzen said Ferrier is also serving a year of probation, which is set to expire this summer. According to a Monday release from Wyoming Game and Fish, Ferrier is also prohibited from hunting, fishing or trapping for five years and cannot hunt in 49 U.S. states until his restitution has been fully paid. The department said they also confiscated his guns, illegal wildlife parts and supplies for meat sales. Court documents state Ferrier confessed to many of the counts of illegal hunting and to selling the falsely packaged antelope jerky to get himself out of a bad situation. An affidavit tied to his arrest states he first said six people had used his trespass vouchers, then upped the number to eight. Game and Fish first started looking into Ferriers ranch after a 2018 tip to Wyomings Stop Poaching Hotline. Ferriers girlfriend at the time said he did not have a big game license, showed investigators photos of him with poached pronghorn and mule deer and said that he left most of his game to rot in a shed on the property, according to an affidavit in the case. Without refrigeration, court documents say she told investigators, the animals spoiled constantly. But Ferrier would just harvest another one, she said. While setting up the covert hunting trip, investigators said Ferrier showed them more photos of his illegal kills and outlined his hunting activities. During a three-year investigation, Game and Fish investigators found a burn pile on Ferriers property with 14 antelope and deer carcasses in various stages of decay. Most of those were doe pronghorn, plus a few males and two buck and two doe mule deer. Two of Ferriers customers identified by Game and Fish told investigators they thought they had paid for individual packages of beef jerky. Cell phone records cited in court documents also showed that Ferrier had apparently sold four cases of jerky to a convenience store west of Casper. Ferriers Grazing Hills Ranch also sold real beef jerky, according to another former girlfriend of his, who requested anonymity. For the beef products, she said, the ranch sent the meat for processing at a Natrona County company. But at some point Ferriers ex didnt know when he fell out with the processor, she told the Star-Tribune. The investigation also found that a group of out-of-state hunters had paid Ferrier $1,500 to hunt without licenses on his land in October. One, who killed an antelope, was from Virginia according to the affidavit, and another, who killed a mule deer, was from Florida. According to the Natrona County Sheriffs Office, Ferrier was booked into jail for one day in January 2021 after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Ferriers restitution comes out to $22,000, to be paid to the Wyoming Wildlife Protectors Association, on top of a $23,000 fine. He now lives in Arizona, his former girlfriend said. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 GREAT FALLS A Great Falls man pleaded no contest Tuesday to deliberate homicide in the beating death of his 5-year-old son in November 2019, Cascade County prosecutors said. County Attorney Josh Racki reached a plea agreement with Emilio Renova, 32, in the death of Antonio Tony Renova. District Court Judge Elizabeth Best heard the plea and is scheduled to sentence Renova on April 29. As part of the agreement, prosecutors will not make any sentencing recommendations and will ask Best to dismiss charges of assault on a minor, child endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child, Racki said. Tony Renova's mother, Stephanie Byington, pleaded guilty last July to accountability to deliberate homicide and felony child endangerment in the boy's death. She also faces sentencing on April 29, Rackie said. Renova and Byington remain in custody in the Cascade County jail. Tony Renova, who is Native American, had been living with a white foster family since shortly after he was born. He was returned to his biological parents in early 2019, officials have said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 7 Missoula approved payment of almost $8,000 at Monday night's city council meeting for two recent police training sessions with a company mired in controversy surrounding comments made by its director, former Army Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. In a video that surfaced online last year of a presentation by Killology Research Group in 2015, Grossman, head of the group, implies that sexual pleasure of police officers is amplified following a violent confrontation with a suspect. Cop says knock down, drag out fight, cuff them, stuff them, finally get home at the end of the shift and cop says, gunfight, bad guys down, Im alive. Finally get home at the end of the incident and they all say the best sex Ive had in months, Grossman says in the video. He then goes on to say this is one of the perks of holding a law enforcement job. In a statement sent to the Missoulian and city councilors Tuesday morning, Missoula Police Chief Jaeson White confirmed Grossman delivered four hours of resiliency training to city officers. The two training sessions were held on Jan. 12 and Jan. 26. Killology Research Group conducts the scholarly study of the destructive act In particular, killology focuses on the reactions of healthy people in killing circumstances (such as police and military in combat) and the factors that enable and restrain killing in these situations, according to its website. Since retiring from the Army in 1998, Grossman has been traveling around the U.S. leading training for the military, law enforcement, mental health providers and school safety organizations, the website says. In a post titled Masks can be Murder on AmericanThinker.com from January 2021, Grossman writes at length about how covering the face with a mask erodes empathy and empowers interpersonal aggression, and how they can lead to increased rates in death and violence in the country. There are no statistics cited in Grossmans post to support this claim. In January 2021, the U.S. saw a record 94,460 deaths from the pandemic, according to John Hopkins University. Killology and Grossmans teachings have garnered national attention. Grossman did not respond to a request for comment from the Missoulian. In 2021, a law enforcement seminar scheduled with Grossman in Michigan was canceled in the wake of community complaints about the messages of his training, the Detroit Free Press reported. In 2020, the Spokane County Sheriffs Office in Washington state planned to host a training with Grossman but suspended it following public outcry thousands of people signed petitions protesting the training, as reported by the Spokesman-Review. The resiliency training provided was not fear based or the promotion of police violence as some have claimed. It was quite the opposite," White said in Tuesday's statement. "The training focused on identifying those challenges, developing proper strategies to mitigate their impact on mental health, becoming resilient, and remaining a professional public servant dedicated to the respect and safety of the community. The chief attended the sessions provided to Missoula police and found them to be professional and valuable, he said. He had not seen the video with Grossmans comments about police violence leading to better sex prior to the training. I have personally seen Lt. Colonel Grossman present this information in the past and found it to be valuable for officer resilience and mental survival for a very demanding career field, White said. Missoula police have no future trainings scheduled with Grossman, White added. First-term councilor Daniel Carlino raised a concern with the training during Monday nights city council meeting ahead of a vote to approve the spending. He twice expressed concern about the training from Killology. Other councilors, including Jordan Hess and Sandra Vasecka, did as well. Im bringing this up because I believe that the Missoula Police Department and our city doesnt want someone who was glorifying police violence and killings to be the same person who was training our police officers, Carlino told council. Council voted unanimously among those in attendance to approve the claims sheet, which included the $7,780.09 charge. That includes 42 copies of the book Bulletproof Mind. Mayor John Engen told the council he would look into the matter. 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 Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 The family of a Mandan man who died after a traffic stop two years ago has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and several police officers. The federal lawsuit filed Tuesday on the second anniversary of John Ernie Prudentes death alleges officers stopped him based on an arrest warrant for an unpaid parking ticket that was in his fathers name, used unreasonable force, werent adequately trained, and were told Prudente had mental health issues but acted with deliberate indifference to his medical needs. The suit claims the city is at fault for failing to "train, supervise and control employees in the dangers of repeated Taser shocks" and restraint methods on people with pre-existing medical conditions. It further alleges the officers' conduct "constitutes a pattern of constitutional violations" by the police department. The suit seeks unspecified money damages for emotional distress, burial and related expenses. It also seeks punitive damages, which are awarded to punish a defendant. The city and police did not immediately file a response to the lawsuit. Deputy Police Chief Lori Flaten on Wednesday told the Tribune she had not seen the lawsuit and could not comment. Police said Prudente, 36, drove off after they initiated a traffic stop on Feb. 8, 2020, pulled into the driveway of a home owned by his father, fought with officers and continued to struggle after being handcuffed. He then became limp and unresponsive, police said. Officers administered CPR, used an external defibrillator and gave Prudente a dose of Narcan. He was transported to a Bismarck hospital, and police learned later that he had died. The lawsuit alleges Prudente drove from the traffic stop to his home and that Officer Mary Hamilton and Sgt. David Raugust followed him inside. Prudente lived with his parents, who told the officers he had mental health issues. Hamilton used her Taser on Prudente for one, five, and three seconds, and Raugust used his once for five seconds, the document states. The police department has not commented on whether a Taser was used. Autopsy reports showed Prudente died of excited delirium as a result of methamphetamine use and underlying diagnoses. Raugust and Hamilton were placed on administrative leave after the incident. They returned to duty after an investigation by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation concluded the officers had not committed a crime, Flaten said at the time. The autopsy showed no evidence of the use of excessive force, she said. Excited or agitated delirium is characterized by agitation, aggression, acute distress and sudden death, often in the pre-hospital care setting, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, part of a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The syndrome is associated with the use of drugs that alter dopamine processing, hypothermia, and most notably, sometimes with death of the affected person in the custody of law enforcement, according to the center. A treatment plan has not been established in part because most patients die before arriving at a hospital. Groups including the American Civil Liberties Union have questioned the use of "excited delirium" as a medical term. Grand Forks attorney Amanda Corey said Prudentes family looks forward to finding out the truth about what happened to their son and brother and wants to see that justice is served. Corey represents Prudentes parents, John Prudente Sr. and Sandra Prudente, and his sister, Cody Prudente, who is listed as the representative of his estate. Raugust, Hamilton, Officers Joshua Scherr and Dominic Hanson, Lt. Peter Czapiewski and the city of Mandan are named as defendants in the suit. Court documents dont list an attorney for them. Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com Love 0 Funny 13 Wow 4 Sad 1 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The chairman of the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber EDC is running for a North Dakota House seat. Kevin Strege announced his campaign for a Bismarck-area District 47 House seat on Wednesday. He chairs the Chamber EDC's executive committee and has a career in business banking. His bid makes four Republicans jostling for two House seats. Strege operates an independent consulting firm, Credit Foundations, which gives clients credit risk analysis and strategies. "For over 30 years Ive partnered with business leaders to grow and expand their ventures, he said in a statement. Im running for the Legislature to put that experience and my conservative approach to work for North Dakota. District 47 Republican incumbents Sen. Mike Dwyer and Rep. Larry Klemin, both Bismarck attorneys, are seeking reelection. Rep. Robb Eckert, R-Bismarck, is serving out the remaining months of the term of late Rep. George Keiser, R-Bismarck, who died Dec. 22 at 75 after battling Lou Gehrig's disease. Eckert is not running for election; party officials appointed him to the seat last month. North Dakota Gaming Alliance Executive Director Mike Motschenbacher and Dean Summers also are seeking a District 47 House seat as Republicans. Summers already has filed to be on the June primary ballot, when voters will determine parties' nominees for the November general election. District 47 Republicans' endorsing convention is Feb. 23. Ninety-eight seats in the Legislature are on the ballot this year, more than is usual, due to redistricting, which is done every 10 years with new census data. Republicans control the House of Representatives 80-14 and the Senate 40-7. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Gov. Doug Burgum on Tuesday appointed former U.S. Attorney and former Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley as attorney general. Wrigley, a Republican who launched his 2022 bid for attorney general in December, will succeed Wayne Stenehjem. Stenehjem, 68, died unexpectedly on Jan. 28 from cardiac arrest, weeks after announcing he would retire when his term concludes at the end of this year. Wrigley will need to win a four-year term in the November general election to continue serving beyond 2022. Stenehjem served 46 years in elected office, including 24 years in the Legislature. He was North Dakotas longest-serving attorney general, first elected in 2000. Wrigley will take the oath of office Wednesday morning at the state Capitol to fill the remainder of Stenehjem's term, which ends Dec. 31. "Having twice served as North Dakotas chief federal law enforcement officer leading the U.S. attorneys offices in Bismarck and Fargo, and six years as lieutenant governor, Drew Wrigley brings highly relevant state and federal experience to the role of North Dakota attorney general," Burgum said in a statement. "He has a deep knowledge of the law, extensive background in public safety and broad experience with the intersections of local, state and federal law enforcement." Wrigley, 56, was North Dakotas top federal law enforcement officer from 2001-09 and again from 2019-21. He served as lieutenant governor from 2010-16, during Gov. Jack Dalrymples tenure. Wrigley announced his campaign for attorney general on Dec. 30, soon after Stenehjem said he would retire. He is the only person to announce a campaign. I am deeply humbled by the faith that Gov. Burgum has placed in me, and I pledge to work tirelessly on behalf of the citizens of North Dakota, Wrigley said in a statement. During my service, I will always be mindful of the outstanding work of my friend Wayne Stenehjem, and I will keep his memory near as we all navigate the path ahead. Governor's spokesman Mike Nowatzki declined to say who approached whom about the job, or whether Wrigley's candidacy affected the governor's decision, saying, "The governors statement about Drews qualifications speaks for itself." Wrigley also referred the Tribune to the statement, but added he and the governor "didn't exchange a syllable" about the position until after Stenehjem's funeral last Thursday. He didn't immediately comment on whether he thinks incumbency will give him an advantage in the campaign. Attorney general is the third state elected position in as many months to go vacant and require the governors appointment to fill. Former state Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger resigned in November following an alcohol-related disturbance at a Bismarck hotel. Burgum appointed Public Service Commissioner Brian Kroshus to the office. He has not yet made a PSC appointment. Democratic-NPL Party Chairman Patrick Hart in a statement criticized Wrigley's record as U.S. attorney and said, "It is obvious that Gov. Burgum is more concerned with keeping the 'Good Ol Boys Club' he once pledged to dismantle firmly in place than he is letting the people decide who is best qualified to occupy the Attorney Generals Office." No Democrat has announced an attorney general campaign. Attorney general, secretary of state, tax commissioner and two seats on the PSC are among the offices on the statewide ballot this year. Republicans' state convention is set for April 1-2 in Bismarck, when delegates will endorse candidates for state and congressional offices. The party is charging first-time fees of candidates seeking the endorsements, including $2,500 for statewide executive office. The attorney general oversees a $91.6 million two-year budget and 253 full-time employees. The positions annual salary is $165,845. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Gov. Doug Burgum's office will begin strategy meetings with North Dakota state government agencies later this month for shaping his 2023-25 budget proposal to the Legislature. The voluntary meetings will continue through March and likely into early April, the governor's budget director told state lawmakers on Wednesday. All state agencies are invited to participate. "It really is a helpful part of the budget process. It's an opportunity for the agencies to talk about their strategy and their goals, and help us better understand that as we create the executive budget proposal and make sure that the budget that we're creating lines up with those agency goals," Office of Management and Budget Director Joe Morrissette told the Legislature's interim Government Finance Committee. The state's Advisory Council on Revenue Forecasting will meet April 8 to see a draft revenue forecast with updated oil projections for the rest of the 2021-23 budget cycle and a first look at the next two-year cycle. The body comprises state and industry leaders who give input and guidance on forecasting. The input will help the state budget office complete an initial forecast by mid-April, according to Morrissette. The governor's budget guidelines will be released in late April or early May, Morrissette said. In 2020, Burgum's guidelines called for budget cuts of 5% to 15%, depending on the size of state agencies. Morrissette's office is implementing new budget software, which is just over 50% completed and on track for state agencies to begin budget work on May 1, he said. The Republican-controlled 2021 Legislature passed a record $16.93 billion two-year budget that includes federal funds and a near $5 billion general fund. Late last year, the Legislature met in a special session and decided how to spend $1 billion of federal Rescue Plan coronavirus aid. Reach Jack Dura at 701-250-8225 or jack.dura@bismarcktribune.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Ilya Shapiro, a Russian emigre, a serious scholar of the American Constitution, and formerly of the libertarian Cato Institute until he was scheduled on February 1 to begin running Georgetowns Center for the Constitution, has found himself in a thicket of racial controversy. In an injudicious and inartful tweet, Shapiro opined that Sri Srinivasan was the most gifted extant progressive jurist, and that Biden intentionally bypassing the highly-competent Srinivasan for a promised black woman would undermine the progressive cause in that their best and brightest would be on the sidelines. Given that Shapiro is no sympathizer to that cause, he suggested that Bidens limiting approach might be regarded as a small favor that constitutional conservatives might thank heaven for. At least that is a reasonable as well as charitable interpretation of his now deleted tweets. Our current political moment, however, offers precious few incentives for such charity and that, I would suggest, is the true crisis of our democracy. To summarize an argument Hamilton makes in Federalist No. 1: Democracy requires charity toward ones opponents and skepticism toward oneself. Whether democracy can survive a world where we are charitable toward ourselves and skeptical (at the very least) of our opponents seems to me doubtful. Still, the lack of charity showed Shapiro should not excuse us from extending it to his critics. But there are critics and there are critics. Setting aside any tweet storms, none of which I have any interest in investigating, the first serious reaction to Shapiros tweets occurred on the Slate website in an article written by Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern. Operating off two assumptions concerning conservatives (a toxic ideology) and racefirst, that conservatives are racists at heart, and second, to treat them monolithicallyLithwick and Stern argue that Shapiro represents the conservative view that black women are always inferior and underqualified and any policy that is injurious to white men must be opposed. The reaction to Bidens announcement that he will appoint a black woman is, in their estimation, just part of the conservative racist crusade. I believe I have characterized their argument fairly, but I find it unconvincing. There may be compelling reasons why we might want, as they say, to have a diverse judiciary that looks like America, and I have some sympathy for the argument, but Id have even more sympathy for Lithwicks argument were it not for her long history of attacking Clarence Thomas. Then, too, Id have more sympathy if both Slate writers argued for a Court that wasnt exclusively occupied by Ivy leaguers. Instead, the authors trot out Sotomayors Ivy League pedigree as the sole piece of evidence for the legitimacy of her appointment. I dont doubt the sincerity of the authors outrage, but I do hold them accountable for using Shapiros tweet to issue a blanket condemnation of half their fellow citizens. Likewise, Id think most people would see how Biden specifically focusing on the candidates race and gender might make people question any other qualities that candidate might have. Biden hasnt exactly invited us to consider those qualifications, any more than Obama invited us to contemplate Justice Sotomayors legal reasoning when he made her empathy the criterion for selection. The response came on January 28 from Georgetowns Black Law Students Association (BLSA). Whatever the law of charitable interpretation requires, it would have to involve making the imaginative effort to take seriously expressed claims. I think there is something to the BLSAs assertions that high-level functioning is inhibited by being in an uncomfortable environment and by having no obvious role models available. I know, for example, when Ive had to sit in on meetings where Im the only white male at the table that I experience an automatic absence of solidarity and am less likely to express what I really think. Im not saying its right, but Ill acknowledge the effect. Likewise, I grew up in a world where I was afforded plenty of examples of people from Dutch immigrant backgrounds who succeeded in academic life. I may have had personal doubts about myself, but I never saw any serious barriers to my advancement, and thus shouldnt be quick to judge people who so perceive such. I may think they are mistaken in their assessment of those barriers but cant dismiss the experience itself as bad faith. This, in turn, makes the accusations that conservatives operate only in bad faith hard to bear. The BLSA extrapolate from what is probably a very real experiencethe sense that they are blockaded in a way whites arentinto a general condemnation of white America. In the process they offer up a willful misreading of Shapiros original tweet by interpreting him as saying that any black woman would be inadequately qualified. Shapiros tweet doesnt really suggest that, however; rather, any reasonable interpretation of his tweet has him saying that there is currently no black female candidate as qualified as Srinivasan, and thats an argument the BLSA bypasses completely. Offering a specific name would have been helpful. More damningly still, the BLSA accuses Shapiro of trying to start a race war between South Asians and African Americans. And why would Shapiro want this? As a way of advancing white supremacy they claim. As is often the case with this charge (and with the charge of racism generally), the claim is stipulative at best and tautological at worst. What evidence might the BLSA produce to justify such divination of Shapiros intentions? Will anyone actually ask them to produce evidence, or will we just assume that if the BLSA makes the claim it must be true? Will any quarter be granted to push back on it? Why not? This at least explains the behavior of Dean Treanor, who on January 31 issued a statement condemning and suspending Shapiro. Having heard the pain (how does one hear pain?) of the black students, Treanor confessed to the pernicious force of racial stereotypes at the law school while conveniently not holding himself accountable for the persistence of such. He further doubled-down on his pledge to advance inclusion, belonging, and respect. Unhappy with Treanors response and the mere suspension of Shapiro, the BLSA organized a sit-in inside Georgetowns law library demanding of administrators that they provide black students with a designated place on campus to cry. Empowered by Dean Treanors confession, the students then moved to have the administration censure anyone critical of the BLSAs criticisms of Shapiro. One BLSA student demanded that the Dean remind our classmates that are attacking us that they are only here because our ancestors were sold for them to be here. No one, apparently, thought it necessary to assess that remarkable claim on its merits. Empowered by the lack of resistance or pushback, the BLSA issued its demands, a list so predictable by now that I could have drawn it up: more money to staffing DEI offices and initiatives, having a BLSA representative on all hiring committees, funding an endowment exclusively for black students, insisting on cultural competency and diversity training, and terminating Shapiros employment. Tears, as children learn early on, can be an effective means for leveraging interest. But why would this strategy work with adults? The answer can be found in Shelby Steeles White Guilt. At the beginning of the book, he tells the story of how, as an undergraduate at Coe College and a student leader, he and a few others confronted the president in his office. Like any good storyteller, Steele focuses on a specific detail: the cigarette he held in his hand. As the ash of the cigarette continued its extension Steele and the president became both aware of what was happening: Would the young man allow the ash to drop to the floor and destroy the decorum, and thus the authority, of the presidents office? Steele describes the moment when the ash dropped as a transfer of authority, for the moral calculus changed. The look on the presidents face was one of concession, and from that point forward the president was helpless as well as feckless. Steele takes no pride in telling that story; indeed, he expresses embarrassment over the breach of manners. The story is emblematic of the main point he wants to make, however: that in race matters, blacks possess all moral authority and can leverage that authority into power. Moreover, he argues, black power will always expand to the space created for it by white guilt. The result is that blacks have an interest in intensifying and exploiting white guilt so as to extend their power and create conditions for the satisfaction of demands that might otherwise have no purchase. On our college campuses, white guilt outweighs white privilege by a factor of about 100. This is not to say there are no longer problems with white racismmy conversations with black colleagues and students have convinced me otherwise. Its simply to say that anyone who attempts to legitimate white racism has no serious moral claim to make. It is in this sense that America is a postracial society: There is no longer any moral argument to be made for white supremacy that will have any currency where it matters. The issue of the equality of the races has been settled. Not that in our heated racial environment some wont try to make the claim that white supremacy is alive and well. When references to simple racism wont suffice to invoke white guilt, white supremacy will do in a pinch. Ill bracket the claim that there is such a thing as white privilege that still tips the scales in favor of whites. Whats significant is that the argument that white privilege and supremacy exist and operate everywhere allows certain actors to claim that aggressive and intentional advancement of black persons into our institutions is the highest moral imperative. On its own I have no serious objection to the assertion except that it becomes one that negates all other social goods; and that, I want to say, harms blacks more than helps them. No one benefits from sloppy arguments being entertained. The claim becomes, like Steeles cigarette ash, moral detritus that is meant to end discussion rather than invite it. Once conceded, the only thing the white person can do is grovel and yield. By Trend The initiative to hold the second meeting of the special representatives of Turkey and Armenia in Vienna came from the Armenian side, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during a briefing, Trend reports. According to him, Armenia offered to hold the meeting either in Austria or in Switzerland. "In 2009, there were already unsuccessful negotiations in Geneva, so it was decided to hold a meeting in Vienna," he explained. Furthermore, Cavusoglu noted that Ankara officially invited Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and the country's Special Representative for the normalization of relations Ruben Rubinyan to the diplomatic forum in Antalya, which will be held on March 11-13, 2022. Yesterday we went through a day with rain mixed with cloud and sunshine at highest temperature at middle of 40F in the afternoon, People got a slice of feeling of early spring in March. Today we started from a chilly morning with temperature at 20F, but in the afternoon, the weather will be as nice as yesterday with temperature at over 40F. There still will have a chance of passing shower. This kind of weather will go through Thursday. On Friday, we will experience the warmest day of this winter to the date with the highest temperature at middle of 50F. The current intense situation between Russia and Ukraine have strained the nerves of the top leaders of all powerful country in the world. These leaders have all stood up to express their opinions. Miliary officials and diplomatic officials are standing on the frontline to show their support to their top leaders. An US female diplomatic official said Putins military action is dangerous and overwhelming negative. An Ukrainian official said Ukraine will fight Russias invasion badly, Russian soldiers will die as Ukrainian soldiers will do. Biden administration said Russians have to think about the consequence from the invasion. The consequence is mainly from different types of economic sanctions. He gave a clear example on Russian pipeline: We will bring it to an end. There are around 30k Americans in Ukraine, US will help them evacuate to Poland. Snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis won gloden medal for US. The present 36 years old Connecticut girl has been dominating the sport for almost two decades with five-times World Championship. She is a legendary in female snowboard athletes. ---------- IDENTITYRACE ANCESTER, HERITAGE NATIONAL IDENTITYIDENTITIES NATIONAL IDENTITYWHERE YOU WERE RAISED AND GROW UP). IDENTITYNATIONAL IDENTITY FUNNY ,CUTE, PEERS LOVE HIM BEING AROUND, Yes he is a good swimmerHE IS A GOOD PERSON. Visual effects pioneer Douglas Trumbull who manifested the astonishing imagery of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Blade Runner, has died at age 79. According to his daughter, Trumbull passed yesterday after a "major two-year battle with cancer, a brain tumor and a stroke." While best known for the unforgettably psychedelic "Star Gate" sequence in 2001, it's Trumbull's work on Close Encounters (1977) that had a massive impact on me as a youngster and is part of why that movie remains my favorite of all time. From the Hollywood Reporter: Early on [in the filming of Close Encounters], Trumbull suggested using motion control, a process that allowed filmmakers to pan, tilt and dolly while still locking their visual effects in the frame. It marked a huge leap in technology from the B-grade sci-fi movies of the 1950s in which a model UFO flimsily floated across a locked-off camera. In one of the film's most memorable sequences, ominous clouds begin encasing Devils Towers, warning of the alien mothership's arrival. [See video below.] Trumbull created the effect in a huge aquarium tank filled with fresh and saltwater and by injecting white liquid tempera paint to create the strange cloud formations. He also contributed the idea to use hand signals, invented by John Curwen in the 1800s and later adapted by Hungarian composer Zoltan Kodaly, to communicate with the aliens. Following his lifelong interest in UFOs, Trumbull also developed a camera system that he hoped would support the scientific study of the UFO phenomena and enable researchers to capture better images of unidentified anomalies. More in this 2016 article from the Daily Grail about Trumbull's UFOTOG project: "Special Effects Legend Douglas Trumbull Talks About How He Has Created a System for Capturing UFOs" Jeff Bezos who likes to buy expensive rockets and boats that look like penises, and even shaved his head to appear more like a penis is risking a hailstorm of rotten eggs for what many consider to be a dick move: dismantling a historic bridge in the Netherlands so he can pilot his $495-million, 417-foot megayacht into the ocean for its maident voyage. From a Google translation of the Dutch publication BN DeStem: In the call, Rotterdammers are urged to take a box of (rotten) eggs with them to throw at the yacht. 'Rotterdam was built from the rubble by Rotterdammers and we don't just take it apart for the phallus symbol of a megalomaniac billionaire. Not without a fight," it reads on Facebook. Pablo Strormann (40) is the initiator of the protest, which, in his own words, is "not too serious." Nevertheless, De Hef is close to his heart. "Why? Because I'm a Rotterdammer and I think people with a lot of money should realize that you can't make everything. With this call we make our voice heard in a playful way. And I think that is going very well." [via Jalopnik] Colorado's Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, the Trump-loving election worker already under investigation for allegedly tampering with voting equipment, was arrested Tuesday in Grand Junction on new charges. And she was not a happy camper. As police handcuffed her at a bagel shop for allegedly using her iPad to secretly record a "court hearing involving her deputy clerk's burglary and cybercrime charges," according to The Denver Channel, Peters repeatedly shouted "Let Go of Me!" At one point she tried to horse kick one of the officers. Tina Peters (Trumper), the clerk of Mesa County, Colorado who's long been suspected of involvement in a leak of county election machine data last year, was arrested Tuesday morning. pic.twitter.com/jGLpdMQr3o ~ ~ (@TeahCartel) February 9, 2022 From The Denver Channel: MediaMatters recently reported (via NBC) on the rise of the alleged-ADHD "influencer" culture that's taking over TikTok (and Instagram) with deceptive ads promising easy self-diagnosis and delivery miracle drugs: A swarm of advertisements encouraging attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) self-diagnosis and medication have appeared on TikTok in recent weeks, potentially violating the platform's medical misinformation policy. TikTok seems to be prioritizing profit over the safety of its young user base by allowing companies to promote medication for a broad set of symptoms, such as being "chatty." [] Although the report states that TikTok has since removed those specific advertisements, a Media Matters review found ads from Cerebral and other companies offering ADHD treatment that were similar to the ads TikTok took down. The ads seem to be capitalizing on the TikTok phenomenon of ADHD self-diagnosis, in which some creators oversimplify the disorder, leading viewers to try to decide themselves whether they have the disorder, sometimes incorrectly. This can push users to inappropriately seek ADHD medication, which can have dangerous side effects if used improperly. Self-diagnosis on TikTok is well-documented and can be dangerous. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2006, being the rare college student who did not want someone giving them easy access to adderall. That pill is certainly a cure-all on its own; I've invested a lot of time in modifying my habits and behaviors, something which was only enabled by having the language to understand why I was constantly feeling just out-of-sync with the rest of the world. I've been pretty open with my diagnosis since then as well. While there are differing schools of thought on this, I find that it helps with managing expectations. Regardless of the situation, I'm probably not navigating in precisely the way that most people would, so I like to make it clear that I'm not being rude, I'm not deliberately interrupting, I'm not not paying attention, I just present differently. I also do this because I've had some struggles with people not respecting that my brain tends to function on a different wavelength. I had a manager at a job who frequently policed my process more than my deliverables, and when I finally asked HR for ADHD accommodations (a legal right, under the ADA), that same manager tried to fire me in retaliation. And that fucked me up for a while! I've been receiving a lot of these ads for mail-order ADHD miracles. They've always smelled like bullshit to me. The Media Matters piece amplified my morbid curiosity, so I decided to try to sign up for some of these services. I still remember the frustrations of the Great Adderall Shortage of 2011, and while I assume none of these services are actually sending out highly-regulated amphetamines through mail order, I did kind of want to know what, exactly, sort of bullshit solutions they were peddling. So I entered my Burner Sign-Up info, but otherwise answered all the "quick evaluation" questions honestly (as someone who has been on Adderall for 15 years and figured a lot of shit out but is understandably still reeling with the behavioral interruptions of being a new parent in an ongoing pandemic). First up was Ahead, who told me I was too fucked up for them to help. Whether that's an indictment on me or them, I'll let you decide. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Cerebral whose evaluation questionnaire was almost identical to Ahead, down to the syntax told me that I probably don't have ADHD but I could still give them $80 a month for treatment. Similarly, ADHD Online wanted me to pay $150 up front, insurance be damned, before I even got an answer: In the process of doing all of this, I received an ad promising to somehow alter my DNA and re-wire my complete inherent function, thereby eliminating ADHD entirely from my personality and existence. The Media Matters mentions some similarly shady ads, promising to reduce chattiness, or obesity, et cetera. Which, sure, some of those things can be connected to behavioral patterns that stem from untreated ADHD, maybe. But it's also some serious fuckin eugenics shit, which ends up perpetuating harmful stereotypes like that people with ADHD are just lazy assholes and maybe some amphetamines will perk them up and make them feel better? That company, "Done," also had a website that wouldn't let me click through to my "final evaluation" in Chrome, Safari, or Firefox, on my phone, or my laptop. Very helpful for people with executive function struggles! In fact, it was actively difficult for me to get far enough along in any of these processes so that I could get an appointment with someone, or even figure out what my pharmacological options were. Still, that may be preferable to Thesis, which delivered me an ad specifically targeting Adderall use only to talk around my "evaluation" and offer me another expensive Nootropic bullshit solution: It was actively difficult for me to get far enough along in any of these processes so that I could get an appointment with someone, or even figure out what my pharmacological options were. If you're still reading, I hope you've reached the same conclusion that I did: that these are a bunch of con artist trying to run a self-help pyramid scheme on people who are feeling bored or depressed or vaguely under stimulated after 2 years of a weirdly reduced pandemic life. Which, yes, totally sucks! And maybe you should see a therapist! But "feeling unmotivated because every day is the same and I barely leave my house anymore" is not the same as "having ADHD." To be fair: ADHD is typically overlooked and underdiagnosed in young girls and people of color, and perhaps some of these ads will help some of those people decide to seek the help they need. I'll also concede that the ways we deal with ADHD in children may not be ideal in general. Tyler Page's brilliant graphic novel memoir Raised on Ritalin does a fantastic job navigating not only the complicated diagnostic/pharmacological history of the ADHD diagnosis (as well as other conditions that we accidentally discovered by drugging people who were somehow socially or emotionally "divergent"), but also the grey areas of what it means to treat a developing mind with these drugs. Looking back on my own life, I can recognize that (1) I wasn't diagnosed younger because ADHD was a condition reserved for "problem students," and I was smart, even though I was also a mess; and that (2) I don't know if I would have wanted to have taken Ritalin (or anything else) back then. But none of that means that ADHD is a fake condition, nor is it something that be "cured" with some predatory marketing subscription service. TikTok is enabling predatory ADHD advertisers to target young users [Olivia Little / Media Matters] Image: Amen Clinics / Flickr (CC-BY-SA 2.0) When Christa Santa Maria purchased a leather bag three years ago, she didnt imagine it would be the seed of her future business. Ive always sewn, like when I was younger, she said. But it really started when I ordered a bag from South Africa. It was an all hand-stitched leather bag and I was so in love with it and I was like, Ill just try to make this. She started simply by trial and error. Making a bag, finding the flaws in her designs and then remaking itsometimes several timesuntil she found a plan that worked. I dont want to imply that Im just self-taught, she says. I have no formal training in leather working but Ive had a lot of teachers. In addition to her MFA in Printmaking from Ohio State, Santa Maria learned by talking with other leather workers, researching on the internet and in books and by making messes, as she calls her trail-and-error process for a new design. After a year or so of practice she decided to open her own online shopand in January of 2018, Talouha was born. I was at a job I really wasnt happy with, so I left, Santa Maria said. I wasnt sure what I was going to do but I had it in the back of my head that I would do my own thing. While the word Talouha itself is made up, Santa Maria thinks of it as a melodic take on to Lou. Her grandmother Louise was an important figure in her life and a source of strength and inspirationthe name is a way to honor her memory. When she started out, Santa Maria was hand stitching everything, but quickly realized that approach was too time consuming to be practical. My original intention was to sew everything by hand, but it became clear pretty quickly that it wasnt going to be sustainable as a business, she said. And people actually seemed to be somewhat horrified by the idea that someone would spend so much time on something. Her process is now much more streamlined. She starts with a design on graph paper, then builds a first draft of the piece using a machine for stitching. Once she has a physical item made, she photographs it and puts it into Illustrator where she can play with the design, changing angles or other details. From that, she produces the final planand a final product. The piece then debuts in her online store, where everything is made to order. Some designs also head to a lineup of local retailers: in Buffalo, Bonfire Craft and Modern Nostalgia on Hertel, and The Physical Space on Elmwood; plus shops in Rochester and Ellicottville. Talouhas Instagram regularly features special one-of-kind designs available for the grabbing, and Santa Maria also welcomes some custom orders, modifying existing designs to the clients desires (as opposed to creating a new item from scratch). Talouhas creations consist of a host of leather bags, purses and bracelets, all with a distinctive simple and clean style. Theres little hardware or embellishmentthe beauty comes from the leather itself. All of the leather Talouha uses is vegetable tanned, a process that accounts for just 5-10 percent of whats produced in the US. Vegetable tanned leather is tanned with tree and bark tannins, so its a natural process, Santa Maria said. Its ecofriendly, it doesnt release chemicals into the water or into the product. Most leather is what is known as chrome-tanned, in which the hides are made into leather through a process that uses harsh chemicals. Santa Maria exclusively seeks out the vegetable tanned leather not only for ecological reasons, but also stylistic ones. Its so much more beautiful, it has a liveness and it ages so well, she said. It has a glossiness or a patina to it. There are bags from WWII that are still beautiful and still hold up. That is Talouhas essence. The items are timelessand made to last for decades. Theyre designed to wear over years of use into something ever more beautiful as time passes. Its natural leather, its beautiful, it softens and picks up marks, she said. When you use something for years it becomes its own object. Indoor businesses from restaurants to supermarkets to theaters in the Buffalo Niagara region will no longer operate under a mask mandate imposed by New York State, effective Thursday. Gov. Kathy Hochul is lifting a requirement that was placed on those businesses Dec. 10, affecting a wide swath of places that the public visits to shop and eat. Until now, indoor businesses were directed to require proof of vaccination or masking while on the premises. "Thank you to the business owners it wasn't easy," Hochul said Wednesday as she announced the mandate going away. Those businesses can still require customers to wear masks, if they so choose. And customers still have the option of wearing masks, too. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz implemented a masking requirement last November for facilities open to the public. He is allowing that requirement to lapse, in line with Hochul's announcement. Businesses and other organizations were deciding their next steps, as they digested the news from Hochul. Wegmans and Tops Markets said customers shopping in their stores will no longer have to wear masks, starting Thursday. KeyBank said customers in its branches won't have to wear masks in its branches when the mandate lifts, except in local jurisdictions that require masks. Its employees will continue wearing masks inside the bank's area facilities, to comply with the HERO Act's requirements. Walden Galleria is lifting its mask mandate for shoppers effective Thursday. But the Cheektowaga mall noted individual businesses may still have their own masks-required policies. Independent Health, which has offices in Amherst, is weighing a number of factors before deciding what to do about its current masking policy for employees, said Anne O'Neill, chief risk officer. The health insurer is taking into account CDC guidelines, the state's HERO Act and employees' sentiments before deciding whether to modify its mask policy. Similarly, Rich Products said it is keeping its masking policy in effect at its offices for now. "Associate safety remains our top priority, which is why we have been and continue to operate in accordance with CDC guidelines," said Allison Conte, a spokeswoman. "Our current policies will remain in effect for the time being as we evaluate the change." Shea's Performing Arts Center said it has not yet decided whether to make any changes to its mask and vaccine policy for patrons attending performances at the theater. At KeyBank Center, a vaccination requirement remains in effect for fans ages 5 and older to attend events, including Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bandits games and concerts. That's because the county's mask requirement for employees and guests remains in effect inside county facilities including the downtown arena through at least the end of February, when the policy will be reviewed. Fans attending KeyBank Center events don't have to wear masks because of the vaccine requirement. Ashley Ranslow, New York State director of the National Federation of Independent Business, said Hochul's decision to lift the mask-or-vaccinate mandate is "necessary and prudent as other states, including our neighboring states, are easing restrictions and finding a way back to normal. Small businesses have endured statewide shutdowns, business restrictions and unparalleled disruptions that have wreaked havoc on our Main Streets and economy." Hochul said over the past two months, the indoor mask mandate gave customers "the comfort to know that they are safe when they went into these stores during our most vulnerable time," when Covid cases were surging. The governor said based on declining Covid cases and hospitalizations, the time was right to the lift the mandate. "Now those numbers are coming down and it is time to adapt," she said. "However, we want to make sure that every business knows, this is your prerogative. And individuals who want to continue wearing masks continue wearing masks." Hochul said she would "always retain the flexibility to make adjustments if necessary," but said she wanted to respond to improving Covid-related data. Matt Glynn Buffalo Next Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Washington developer Douglas Jemal, continuing his march through Buffalo's big real estate projects, has been selected by city officials to redevelop the Mohawk Ramp into a mixed-use complex that would include new apartments above an expanded ramp. Officials said Tuesday that Jemal's Douglas Development Corp. beat out two other finalists in winning the highly coveted opportunity to convert the 629-space parking ramp into a multi-story building that would include 200 apartments and 800 parking spaces. That includes the addition of two more levels to the ramp itself, with the apartments on top. The project by Jemal and architectural firm Antunovich Associates expected to cost well over $100 million would also include a restaurant and retailer on the ground floor. And it would feature a research and development lab as a unique component. Additionally, the overall concept will incorporate Jemal's planned redevelopment of the former Simon Electric buildings and properties, which are located on 1.8 acres of nearby land on Ellicott Street that he recently acquired from company owner Bert Simon. Those are located on prime real estate in the heart of downtown Buffalo, providing Jemal with the opportunity to bring even more change to the city's core. Jemal said he was holding off on doing any work on those properties, pending the outcome of the Mohawk selection process, but now he plans to convert those buildings into another 400 apartments, using the Mohawk Ramp to provide parking for those tenants. "It serves a very important function, because now you're not using the Simon properties as parking," he said. Approximately 15% of units will be affordable housing, about 90 units total, while the rest will be market rate. That's fewer affordable apartments than either of the other finalists that Jemal beat out, but the city appeared to like his overall plan better. Now the developer has to put together a financing package, reach a purchase contract with the city and acquire the ramp, obtain municipal approvals for the project and get started on what Jemal said will be a three-phase project that will take at least five years, if not 10. The first phase will add two more parking levels, along with the ground-floor retail, while converting the first of the Simon properties to apartments. The rest of the Simon holdings will follow in phase two, followed by the Mohawk apartments in phase three. Construction is not expected to begin before 2023. This is just the latest acquisition and redevelopment project by Jemal, who hasn't stopped working on efforts to remake downtown Buffalo since coming to the city six years ago to buy the vacant Seneca One tower. Since then, he's also purchased the Statler, the Hyatt Regency Buffalo, the former police headquarters that is now the Police Apartments and the Mahoney State Office Building, which is slated to become a boutique hotel. And he's seeking to capitalize on the growing momentum nearby, including on Main Street, where he owns the Hyatt and three other buildings that he plans to redevelop with 30 apartments and ground-floor retail. Besides Jemal, the finalists included: A $90 million, eight-story building proposed by CB Emmanuel, BFC Partners, Carmina Wood and GO Buffalo Niagara, featuring 203 affordable apartments, 285 parking spaces, a GObike parking station, a restaurant, a fitness center, and retail or co-working space. A dual-tower complex by SAA-EVI and McGuire Development, consisting of seven- and 12-story sections, with 233 apartments 168 affordable and 268 parking spaces. The $73 million venture also would have included a rooftop restaurant, ground-floor retail and amenities, a dog park and playground and an incubation hub focused on minority- and women-owned businesses from the East Side. Buffalo Next Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Developer Douglas Jemal isnt satisfied with just buying properties in downtown Buffalo, Black Rock and Amherst. Now he wants to take part in reviving Buffalos East Side, too. The Washington, D.C.-based developer is buying a 32,698-square-foot warehouse at 368 Sycamore St. his first purchase in that part of the city. The property is currently owned and occupied by Concept Logistics, formerly Concept International Transportation, which relocated to Larkinville. But this time, hes also not sure about his plans yet. Jemal said he bought the three-story warehouse building on spec, but doesnt have a prospective tenant lined up yet. Hes also not certain if it will remain industrial or become office space. Jemals not currently planning a residential conversion, although its a possibility, he said. The building, which is located in an Opportunity Zone, has two loading docks, an overhead door and 16-foot ceilings, making it ideal for warehouse/distribution, manufacturing, light assembly, storage, multifamily conversion, according to the listing from Pyramid Brokerage Co., which had the property priced at $899,000. The deal is expected to close in a couple of weeks, Jemal said. Buffalo Next Must-read local business coverage that exposes the trends, connects the dots and contextualizes the impact to Buffalo's economy. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. For more than 50 years, lawsuits claiming partisan gerrymandering like the one filed last week by New York Republicans have been destined for the legal graveyard. "That's a legislative matter," jurists basically ruled in opinions stemming from as high as the U.S. Supreme Court. Suit calls new congressional map 'undeniably politically gerrymandered' Fourteen Republicans from around the state who have served as presidential electors submitted the suit, marking the start of a legal challenge to district maps that Republicans say unfairly target many of the GOP's six New York seats in the House of Representatives. But though the New York GOP is reduced to almost afterthought status in Democrat-controlled Albany, the party harbors at least a glimmer of reapportionment hope through its suit slated for arguments Feb. 24 in Bath. Because voters in 2014 approved a constitutional amendment establishing an Independent Redistricting Commission to end partisan reapportionment of congressional and legislative districts, and because the Legislature again ultimately assumed reapportionment duties, Republicans are looking forward to their day in court before State Supreme Court Justice Patrick F. McAllister, a Republican. The case is expected to reach the Court of Appeals. "I find it kind of silly that the pundits are saying this has never happened in 50 years," said George H. Winner Jr., the Elmira attorney shepherding the case. "For 50 years we didn't have a constitutional amendment. Now we do." GOP lambastes 'gerrymandering' of state districts, promises lawsuit New York Republicans are howling over new State Legislature lines released late Tuesday following a Democrat-controlled reapportionment process that stands to reduce even further the GOP's already weak influence in Albany. Winner, a former state senator back when his GOP ruled the Senate, will argue that the Legislature violated the Constitution by enacting its own plan when the commission remained deadlocked. All kinds of arguments will enter the case, he acknowledges, but he will emphasize supremacy of the state Constitution and its 2014 amendment. "The landscape has significantly changed," Winner said. "If the Constitution means anything, we'll soon find out." Nevertheless, history sets an ominous precedent for GOP hopes. Former Rep. John J. LaFalce, D-Town of Tonawanda, rattles off statistics from various reapportionment efforts dating to 1971. He has experienced all kinds of reapportionment scenarios in the State Legislature and House of Representatives, watching court challenges accomplish little. LaFalce sees inherent problems in new districts like the proposed 24th, in which Republican Rep. Chris Jacobs of Orchard Park says he will compete. A district stretching from the Niagara River to above Watertown (while bypassing Democratic Rochester) makes little sense, LaFalce says, while protecting well-heeled incumbents by forcing a challenger to buy airtime in four television markets. "If any district challenge is successful, I think it would be that one," he said. New congressional map sparks gerrymandering outcry "The fact that New York could end up with such an egregious congressional map represents a failure for the states new redistricting process," wrote Nathaniel Rakich, a senior elections analyst at the FiveThirtyEight election blog. But the former congressman also sees a crack in the long closed door in the new suit. "Maybe the best choice is under the New York State Constitution," LaFalce said. "A state court might be more likely to rule in favor of those challenges than a federal court." Few are as familiar with the state's redistricting process than Jeffrey M. Wice, adjunct professor and senior fellow with the New York Census and Redistricting Institute at New York Law School. He was also a member of the commission established by the 2014 amendment that produced a deadlock between its Democratic and Republican members. Wice said that through previous challenges, the Court of Appeals has set a "very high bar" by demanding proof that the Legislature acted in bad faith while drawing new district lines. He pointed to the New York high court's 1992 decision in Wopoff v. Cuomo, requiring plaintiffs to prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that partisanship ruled the process. "Although we are troubled by the number of divided counties in the new plan and by the four bi-county pairings," the court ruled then, "it is not appropriate for us to substitute our evaluation of relevant statistical data for that of the Legislature." Erie County would be split among three congressional districts under remap While the Buffalo-based district in the proposed plan would be largely Democratic, the other two districts including parts of Erie County consist largely of smaller communities and rural territory and are most likely to be represented by Republicans. The opinion remains the basis of current precedent, Wice noted. "Courts prefer these kinds of public policy issues to defer to the judgement of the State Legislature," he said. "It's doubtful, given the fact that the Supreme Court said they are not interested in looking at partisan gerrymandering," he added, referring to the 2019 Rucho v. Common Cause case that said federal courts have no power to police gerrymandering In addition, a state Court of Appeals with many new members will probably end up deciding the new challenge, Wice said, noting it could view the issues differently. "We'll look at precedent carrying over or whether a new court is willing to break precedent and set a new standard," he said. Analysis: The rough politics of redistricting "You can mark it on your calendar. Every four years Olympics. Every 17 years locusts. And every 10 years politicians incensed over reapportionment mandated by the Constitution," writes Bob McCarthy. If 2022 represents the year that a legal challenge will prevail, Wice said, it could produce far reaching effects. Designating petitions for the June primary are slated to begin circulation on March 1, he noted, and the current GOP challenge winding its way all the way to the Court of Appeals could delay the process. "It could throw the electoral process into a chaotic situation," he said, noting the possibility the courts could order a special master to draw the lines as they did following the 2010 census. A decade ago, the GOP still controlled the state Senate, and prior to the 2014 constitutional amendment, it was solely the Legislature's purview to draw state and congressional district boundaries. When the Democratic-controlled Assembly and GOP-controlled Senate couldn't come to terms on redistricting, a court-appointed special master was called in to draw the state's congressional map. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. By Trend Video footage showing Ramil Shukurov, who introduced himself as the head of the illegally operating New Council of Public Control organization, to extort money from citizens, has been circulated, Trend reports. The illegal actions of persons, having extorted money from people on behalf of an unregistered organization, were exposed. These persons, namely Ramil Shukurov, Elchin Aslanli and Koroglu Ibragimov have been arrested. Trend presents the video footage of Shukurov's detention to your attention. The long lines that stretched outside of pop-up Covid-19 testing sites are gone. Hospitals are no longer in danger of being overwhelmed. Close to 9 out of 10 New Yorkers have had at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. Factoring in all of that, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that the state's mask mandate on indoor public spaces will expire as scheduled on Thursday. That means, you'll no longer have to wear a mask or show proof of vaccination when going into a restaurant or grocery store or just about any other business in the state of New York. "New Yorkers, this is what we've been waiting for," Hochul said in a news conference from Manhattan, ahead of her declaration. But there are some notable exceptions. The statewide mask mandate on primary schools is remaining in place at least for another month, Hochul said. Hochul's plan is to distribute Covid testing kits to students ahead of the February break, which begins Feb. 21, and factor those results in a new assessment during the first week of March. She called it a "strong possibility" that the school mask mandate could be dropped by March 7. Also, Hochul said masks will continue to be required for health care facilities, nursing homes, correctional facilities and on public transportation. In addition, local governments and businesses are allowed to require masks or proof of vaccination, a standard that Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said he intends to follow for the time being. Hochul had put the indoor mask mandate into effect two months ago in anticipation of a winter surge, similar to what happened during the first winter of the pandemic. This winter's surge ended up being even more pronounced. Two variants of Covid Delta and Omicron were to blame as it became clear that vaccines couldn't stop their spread, although they helped prevent hospitalizations and deaths. The Omicron variant spread especially fast through New York. The first case of the variant was confirmed on Dec. 1. By Jan. 7, 2022, at what would be the peak of the Omicron wave, more than 90,000 people in New York State tested positive for Covid on that day. In comparison, at the height of the previous winter, just under 20,000 people tested positive in a day. But Omicron turned out to be less lethal and put a lower rate of people in the hospital. It also appears to be disappearing quickly; on Feb. 9, the state recorded just over 6,000 new positive cases. "Why is all this happening? Because New Yorkers and businesses stepped up and did the right thing," she said, defending her decision to impose the indoor mask mandate. "And I will always be grateful for them for being the reason these numbers have been declining." Yet, she cautioned, that the end of mask wearing indoors and discussions about ending it in schools doesn't mean Covid-19 is gone. "This pandemic is not over. It is not over," she said. "That is why we're still going to maintain protections for vulnerable populations in areas where people are very concentrated because I want people to feel safe. I want people to still feel safe when they come into the cities and go to their jobs, that they're not going to contract this virus." Until now, indoor businesses were directed to require proof of vaccination or masking while on the premises. "Thank you to the business owners it wasn't easy," Hochul said Wednesday as she announced the mandate going away. Businesses and other organizations in Western New York were deciding their next steps, as they digested the news from Hochul. Wegmans said customers shopping in its stores will no longer be required to wear masks, starting Thursday. KeyBank said customers in its branches won't have to wear masks, except in local jurisdictions that require masks. Its employees will continue wearing masks inside the bank's area facilities. Independent Health, which has offices in Amherst, is weighing a number of factors before deciding what to do about its current masking policy for employees, said Anne O'Neill, chief risk officer. The health insurer is taking into account guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the state's Health and Essential Rights Act, which protects private sector workers' rights to a safe environment; and employees' sentiments before deciding whether to modify its mask policy. Similarly, Rich Products said it is keeping its masking policy in effect at its offices for now. "Associate safety remains our top priority, which is why we have been and continue to operate in accordance with CDC guidelines," said Allison Conte, a spokeswoman. "Our current policies will remain in effect for the time being as we evaluate the change." Shea's Performing Arts Center said it has not yet decided whether to make any changes to its mask and vaccine policy for patrons attending performances at the theater. At KeyBank Center, a vaccination requirement remains in effect for fans ages 5 and older to attend events, including Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bandits games and concerts. That's because the county's mask requirement for employees and guests remains in effect inside county facilities including the downtown arena through at least the end of February, when the policy will be reviewed. Fans attending KeyBank Center events don't have to wear masks because of the vaccine requirement. Poloncarz confirmed Wednesday that the county would follow the state's lead in relaxing the indoor mask mandate. However, he said that the mandate for masks in county buildings would continue through Feb. 28 "at which time we will reconsider the need for such requirement based on the then designation of whether the county is at a low, moderate, substantial or high risk of Covid transmission," under terms defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Poloncarz's office said in a statement. As of Wednesday morning, Erie County's Covid transmission rate was at 234 new cases reported over the last seven days per 100,000 residents. Anything over 100 new cases per 100,000 residents is classified as "high" transmission by the CDC. Erie County workers have had to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status since July 31. Hochul's announcement means Niagara County no longer has a mask mandate in place either, including all public buildings except for courthouses, said Niagara County Legislature Chairman Becky Wydysh. In an emailed statement, Wydysh expressed disappointment that Hochul "not only failed to lift the mask mandate in schools, but did not identify a clear, definitive threshold for doing so." Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Maki Becker Chief of the Breaking News/Criminal Justice Desk I've worked at The Buffalo News since 2005. I previously worked as a reporter at the New York Daily News and the Charlotte Observer and was a special correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. Follow Maki Becker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The mask mandate in New York schools will continue until at least early March, and that's disappointing to some school leaders who were hoping for a firm date and metrics for lifting the mandate. Others see wisdom in waiting until after the mid-winter break to take the Covid-19 pulse of students and teachers. And political reaction ranges from disappointment to harsh criticism. Gov. Kathy Hochul said she wants to send home rapid testing kits with children before they go on break the week of Feb. 21. "We want them to test the day after they come back and again three days later and let the school know if your child tests positive and keep them home," she said. During the week of Feb. 28, the state will be looking at the reports of Covid-19 positive cases in students as well as cases per 100,000 population; percent positivity; hospital admissions, including pediatric admissions; vaccination rates; and global trends on the coronavirus, Hochul said. She said it is a "very strong possibility" that the mandate will be lifted March 7. "But I will factor all the data thats gathered during that week," she said. New Jersey is lifting its mask mandate in schools March 7, Connecticut's is scheduled to end Feb. 28 and Delaware's will be lifted at the end of March. Hamburg Superintendent Michael Cornell, who is president of the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association, said the governor's decision not to lift the mandate is disappointing. "School superintendents in Western New York continue to believe that the mask mandate should not have been extended," Cornell said. But the leader of Western New York's largest school district said he appreciates the governor's words. "I was pleased that she was taking a cautious approach to releasing the mask mandate from schools," Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash said. He said he thinks it is prudent that Hochul wants to wait until after the winter break, when a lot of people will be traveling out of the area, to make a final decision. Buffalo Teachers Federation President Philip Rumore is surveying teachers to see if they support keeping masks for at least two weeks after the break, until the impact of the spread of the virus during the break can be determined. Cash said he also would like to get to warmer weather where children can go outside for recess and windows can be opened for ventilation. "It's typically mid-March and after when that starts to happen," he said. Cash said he wants to see more children get vaccinated, as the governor does. And if the governor lifts the mask requirement in schools, face coverings may remain in Buffalo schools. Cash said he wants the number of cases per 100,000 people over a seven-day period to get to 50 or below. Erie County's transmission rate was 286 per 100,000 Wednesday, which is still considered a high level of transmission, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. Hochul said she is treating schools differently than public places like businesses and restaurants because children sit close together each day. She also said the state would use the month of February to come up with clear guidance on what schools should do if the mandate is lifted and someone tests positive in the classroom. Cornell said school workforces are largely vaccinated, and data shows children experience overwhelmingly mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. "Schools remain the safest place for students and staff," Cornell said. State Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, said in a statement that extending the mask mandate for schoolchildren is "absolutely outrageous." State GOP Leader Nick Langworthy said the decision "defies logic, science and morality." Assemblywoman Karon McMahon, D-Amherst, said based on how far we've come, she is "encouraged that schools will soon be joining businesses in a return to normalcy soon. State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, R-Elma, urged the State Legislature to support his proposal requiring that directives issued by an executive branch of government be approved by the respective legislative branch. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In a state where Democrats dominate by more than 3 million voters, New York Republicans look for any advantage they can for statewide elections. The GOP hopes it caught that break late Tuesday when the influential Working Families Party endorsed New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams for governor, posing the potential to diffuse Democrats' votes destined for their party's candidate in the November general election. The move may have even torn a page from the GOP playbook to favor its expected candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin of Suffolk County. The spark of optimism warming the normally outgunned Republicans and their Conservative Party allies includes the hope that the liberal Williams running on the left-leaning line will bestow new viability on Zeldin, especially during fundraising season. It also poses a tricky tightrope for incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul to avoid alienating too many of Williams' Democratic supporters should she win the primary and should he remain on the line in November. "It's clearly a positive development," deadpanned state Conservative Chairman Gerard Kassar. "The need for them to express their philosophy is something I can appreciate." Working Families, which presented similar scenarios (at least temporarily) for former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in the elections of 2014 and 2018, now seeks to bolster its progressive credentials with Tuesday's support for Williams. The party even featured comment from India B. Walton, winner of last June's Democratic primary for mayor of Buffalo (who eventually lost to incumbent Byron W. Brown). "No one in New York State should have to worry about where they're sleeping at night because they can't afford housing. No one should have to die because they don't have health care," said Walton, a senior adviser to the party. "In one of the wealthiest states in the country, everyone should be fed, sheltered, and cared for. That's the New York that Jumaane Williams is ready to build." Working Families spokesman Ravi Mangla said Wednesday that Hochul and Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi of Nassau County appeared before party officials for interviews before Williams won the endorsement. The party will now support Williams through the Democratic primary, Mangla said, but would not address what happens if Williams loses the Democratic contest and enhances Zeldin's chances by remaining on the general election ballot. "That's a bridge we'll cross when we get there," he said. The new developments may still change significantly in the weeks ahead. Williams, along with Suozzi, will challenge Hochul in the June Democratic primary. Williams could emerge as a general election threat to Hochul if she wins and he loses in June, but observers point out that new election laws this year could make it easier for him to leave the line and decrease the potential for a diffused Democratic vote. Democrats are now slated to endorse Hochul for a full term when they convene in Manhattan next week, and appear to remain unfazed by any Williams candidacy. One source close to the party notes Williams' Working Families nod was expected all along, that several left-leaning Democratic clubs in New York City have supported Hochul, and that the party is expected to leave their convention united. Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy J. Zellner sees Hochul holding a "commanding lead" even with the potential for left-leaning Democrats to vote for Williams on the Working Families line. "Kathy is not taking anything for granted and neither are we," he said, adding he expects Hochul to also appear on a new minor party line in November. Zellner also said Hochul will not feel obliged to move her own party as leftward as Working Families wants. "We're not socialists and we're not democratic socialists," he said. "We're Democrats." Hochul and Williams faced each other previously during the 2018 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Hochul, the incumbent, won that contest 53%-47%, even as an upstater in a statewide election dominated by Democrats in Williams' New York City base. Working Families insiders note, however, that Williams came close despite being heavily outspent by Hochul. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The long lines that stretched outside of pop-up Covid-19 testing sites are gone. Hospitals are no longer in danger of being overwhelmed. Close to 9 out of 10 New Yorkers have had at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. Factoring in all of that, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that the state's mask mandate on indoor public spaces will expire as scheduled on Thursday. That means, you'll no longer have to wear a mask or show proof of vaccination when going into a restaurant or grocery store or just about any other business in the state of New York. "New Yorkers, this is what we've been waiting for," Hochul said in a news conference from Manhattan, ahead of her declaration. But there are some notable exceptions. The statewide mask mandate on primary schools is remaining in place at least for another month, Hochul said. Hochul's plan is to distribute Covid testing kits to students ahead of the February break, which begins Feb. 21, and factor those results in a new assessment during the first week of March. She called it a "strong possibility" that the school mask mandate could be dropped by March 7. Also, Hochul said masks will continue to be required for health care facilities, nursing homes, correctional facilities and on public transportation. In addition, local governments and businesses are allowed to require masks or proof of vaccination, a standard that Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said he intends to follow for the time being. Hochul had put the indoor mask mandate into effect two months ago in anticipation of a winter surge, similar to what happened during the first winter of the pandemic. This winter's surge ended up being even more pronounced. Two variants of Covid Delta and Omicron were to blame as it became clear that vaccines couldn't stop their spread, although they helped prevent hospitalizations and deaths. The Omicron variant spread especially fast through New York. The first case of the variant was confirmed on Dec. 1. By Jan. 7, 2022, at what would be the peak of the Omicron wave, more than 90,000 people in New York State tested positive for Covid on that day. In comparison, at the height of the previous winter, just under 20,000 people tested positive in a day. But Omicron turned out to be less lethal and put a lower rate of people in the hospital. It also appears to be disappearing quickly; on Feb. 9, the state recorded just over 6,000 new positive cases. "Why is all this happening? Because New Yorkers and businesses stepped up and did the right thing," she said, defending her decision to impose the indoor mask mandate. "And I will always be grateful for them for being the reason these numbers have been declining." Yet, she cautioned, that the end of mask wearing indoors and discussions about ending it in schools doesn't mean Covid-19 is gone. "This pandemic is not over. It is not over," she said. "That is why we're still going to maintain protections for vulnerable populations in areas where people are very concentrated because I want people to feel safe. I want people to still feel safe when they come into the cities and go to their jobs, that they're not going to contract this virus." Until now, indoor businesses were directed to require proof of vaccination or masking while on the premises. "Thank you to the business owners it wasn't easy," Hochul said Wednesday as she announced the mandate going away. Businesses and other organizations in Western New York were deciding their next steps, as they digested the news from Hochul. Wegmans said customers shopping in its stores will no longer be required to wear masks, starting Thursday. KeyBank said customers in its branches won't have to wear masks, except in local jurisdictions that require masks. Its employees will continue wearing masks inside the bank's area facilities. Independent Health, which has offices in Amherst, is weighing a number of factors before deciding what to do about its current masking policy for employees, said Anne O'Neill, chief risk officer. The health insurer is taking into account guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the state's Health and Essential Rights Act, which protects private sector workers' rights to a safe environment; and employees' sentiments before deciding whether to modify its mask policy. Similarly, Rich Products said it is keeping its masking policy in effect at its offices for now. "Associate safety remains our top priority, which is why we have been and continue to operate in accordance with CDC guidelines," said Allison Conte, a spokeswoman. "Our current policies will remain in effect for the time being as we evaluate the change." Shea's Performing Arts Center said it has not yet decided whether to make any changes to its mask and vaccine policy for patrons attending performances at the theater. At KeyBank Center, a vaccination requirement remains in effect for fans ages 5 and older to attend events, including Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bandits games and concerts. That's because the county's mask requirement for employees and guests remains in effect inside county facilities including the downtown arena through at least the end of February, when the policy will be reviewed. Fans attending KeyBank Center events don't have to wear masks because of the vaccine requirement. Poloncarz confirmed Wednesday that the county would follow the state's lead in relaxing the indoor mask mandate. However, he said that the mandate for masks in county buildings would continue through Feb. 28 "at which time we will reconsider the need for such requirement based on the then designation of whether the county is at a low, moderate, substantial or high risk of Covid transmission," under terms defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Poloncarz's office said in a statement. As of Wednesday morning, Erie County's Covid transmission rate was at 234 new cases reported over the last seven days per 100,000 residents. Anything over 100 new cases per 100,000 residents is classified as "high" transmission by the CDC. Erie County workers have had to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status since July 31. Hochul's announcement means Niagara County no longer has a mask mandate in place either, including all public buildings except for courthouses, said Niagara County Legislature Chairman Becky Wydysh. In an emailed statement, Wydysh expressed disappointment that Hochul "not only failed to lift the mask mandate in schools, but did not identify a clear, definitive threshold for doing so." The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Maki Becker Chief of the Breaking News/Criminal Justice Desk I've worked at The Buffalo News since 2005. I previously worked as a reporter at the New York Daily News and the Charlotte Observer and was a special correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. Follow Maki Becker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today I look at it this way: Buffalo City Hall did something this year that neither writer/director Guillermo del Toro or actor Bradley Cooper or actress Cate Blanchett could do. And that is land an Academy Award nomination for this year. Oh all right, the official listed Oscar nominees for best production design for del Toro's "Nightmare Alley" were Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau but in Buffalo a lot of us were startled to discover how much the stark art deco interior of City Hall contributed to the look of del Toro's "Nightmare Alley" during the brief period the movie did some filming here. And at least the film itself was one of the 10 nominees this year for best picture. Four Buffalo locations that make a statement in 'Nightmare Alley' Here are the spots that make an impression during the city scenes in director Guillermo del Toro's film noir "Nightmare Alley." It might be enough to give some Buffalonians an unusual rooting interest in this year's Academy Awards. There WERE good films this year (I'm rooting for Jane Campion's "The Power of the Dog" myself) but the old problem of underrepresented "popcorn movies" is still there. If you want to talk about woes, though, consider former Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg (for "Ghost" supporting actress). Woe indeed is Whoopi at the moment. She was put on suspension from "The View" for two weeks by the news division of ABC News. She had said something terribly foolish on the show and she was punished for it, even though she apologized for it eventually and pronounced herself educated and chastened. What she had done on "The View" was to wander off into an area where we all get lost every now and then: the area where our ignorance is large enough to make us look stupid, even when we're not. There's a big difference between ignorance and stupidity, of course. We are all ignorant sometimes; we are all ALWAYS ignorant of some subjects. Don't ask me anything about advanced astrophysics or Egyptian cuisine, for instance, because my ignorance of both subjects is total and likely to remain that way. Stupidity is when you cling to ignorance in the face of all contrary evidence. What Whoopi said that was so foolish is that the Holocaust was not about "race"; it was about "man's inhumanity to man." She certainly wasn't wrong about the latter. It was the former that was problematic. It was clear that she was speaking from the perspective of an African American humanist. She was defining the word "race" as Americans most often do, to mean "skin color." Unfortunately, the facts of history are that the Nazis didn't do that. Their definition of race a word contemporary scientists have never liked insisted that Jews, for instance were a race of "parasitic vermin" (in the explanatory words of the Holocaust Museum) and that Germans were a "master race" who needed to eradicate all the many inferior ones. The figures quoted by the Holocaust Museum are these: "About two out of every three Jews in Europe before the war were killed in the Holocaust." In other words, Nazi notions of "race" were intrinsic to one of human history's greatest atrocities. I'm sorry Whoopi's momentary flare-up of ignorance was so conspicuous but suspending her for two weeks because of it was equally foolish. It too involves considerable ignorance. She didn't deserve to be publicly pilloried in that way. Unfortunately, we live in an era where people seem to refuse to deal with history when important matters are to be decided. The crucial history of Whoopi Goldberg as a performer is this: When she emerged, rather suddenly, as the star of her astonishing one-woman Broadway show in the mid-'80s, one of her most moving and memorable skits was about her fictional male junkie named Fontaine and his incongruous visit to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. There, the character spotted an Oscar. It was the one Shelley Winters won for best supporting actress in George Stevens' movie "The Diary of Anne Frank." In a gesture that tells you one of the more profound things you need to know about Shelley Winters, she had donated her Oscar to the Anne Frank house, as a permanent remembrance of the child who so tragically died in the Holocaust and left her diary to the world. And one of the more revealing things you need to know about Whoopi Goldberg is that it was a featured observation in her first extraordinary one-woman show on Broadway. Whoopi's director (some would even say "discoverer") on that show was Mike Nichols, a man who was, in fact, born in Berlin and came from a family that fled from the Holocaust before coming to America. Whoopi's ignorance of toxic Nazi ideology notwithstanding, she's as far as can be from being a Holocaust denier or anti-Semite. She just got caught seeing a large subject from a perspective that obscured some of it. Remember that ABC News took over "The View" in 2014. When it did, then-ABC News president James Goldston said "'The View' has always operated at the intersection of opinion and news." And now ask yourself this: Would it have been necessary to suspend Whoopi Goldberg if the show weren't expected to be pure "news"? What if the show had remained the wide-open thing Barbara Walters created, whose function was to prove that TV's female audience in the morning was avid for a coffee klatch full of witty, intelligent, well-spoken, well-informed women of all sorts who cared about every subject under the sun and not just the usual domestic subjects of daytime TV. Coming down hard on Whoopi Goldberg was a way for ABC News to say to the world "How DARE she" not be thoroughly informed about Nazi ideology? It is a sad bit of modern ignorance, but given who she is and where her career has taken her since her Broadway one-woman show, it seems eminently forgivable. I was once one of a handful of people to be in an interview situation with Goldberg where I found her delightfully disarming and real and large-spirited. She was insistent on truths whether they were about political matters or her digestive issues at that particular moment. As her career progressed, it contained much less of the sophistication of Mike Nichols and more of her raucous club comedy. I'm sorry she took over Meredith Vieira's original moderator role on "The View" because all too often it has seemed to require her to scold and settle others' scores for them. When the show first went on the air 25 years ago, I praised it so unreservedly and openly that I got a thank you note from Walters. Now that it has been a product of ABC's News division for eight years, I tried to watch it to see what it's like when Whoopi has been benched. Comedian Joy Behar one of the show's originals took Whoopi's role. I watched for about 10 minutes before I found it unwatchable. To paraphrase Goldston in 2014, what I saw existed on the intersection of hopeless cliche and yesterday's news without any of the historic background that would have given it profundity or, in fact, any fresh insight at all. A little more intelligence not to mention kindness on the part of ABC News would have been the proper way to go. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In a state where Democrats dominate by more than 3 million voters, New York Republicans look for any advantage they can for statewide elections. The GOP hopes it caught that break late Tuesday when the influential Working Families Party endorsed New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams for governor, posing the potential to diffuse Democrats' votes destined for their party's candidate in the November general election. The move may have even torn a page from the GOP playbook to favor its expected candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin of Suffolk County. The spark of optimism warming the normally outgunned Republicans and their Conservative Party allies includes the hope that the liberal Williams running on the left-leaning line will bestow new viability on Zeldin, especially during fundraising season. It also poses a tricky tightrope for incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul to avoid alienating too many of Williams' Democratic supporters should she win the primary and should he remain on the line in November. "It's clearly a positive development," deadpanned state Conservative Chairman Gerard Kassar. "The need for them to express their philosophy is something I can appreciate." Working Families, which presented similar scenarios (at least temporarily) for former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in the elections of 2014 and 2018, now seeks to bolster its progressive credentials with Tuesday's support for Williams. The party even featured comment from India B. Walton, winner of last June's Democratic primary for mayor of Buffalo (who eventually lost to incumbent Byron W. Brown). "No one in New York State should have to worry about where they're sleeping at night because they can't afford housing. No one should have to die because they don't have health care," said Walton, a senior adviser to the party. "In one of the wealthiest states in the country, everyone should be fed, sheltered, and cared for. That's the New York that Jumaane Williams is ready to build." Working Families spokesman Ravi Mangla said Wednesday that Hochul and Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi of Nassau County appeared before party officials for interviews before Williams won the endorsement. The party will now support Williams through the Democratic primary, Mangla said, but would not address what happens if Williams loses the Democratic contest and enhances Zeldin's chances by remaining on the general election ballot. "That's a bridge we'll cross when we get there," he said. The new developments may still change significantly in the weeks ahead. Williams, along with Suozzi, will challenge Hochul in the June Democratic primary. Williams could emerge as a general election threat to Hochul if she wins and he loses in June, but observers point out that new election laws this year could make it easier for him to leave the line and decrease the potential for a diffused Democratic vote. Democrats are now slated to endorse Hochul for a full term when they convene in Manhattan next week, and appear to remain unfazed by any Williams candidacy. One source close to the party notes Williams' Working Families nod was expected all along, that several left-leaning Democratic clubs in New York City have supported Hochul, and that the party is expected to leave their convention united. Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy J. Zellner sees Hochul holding a "commanding lead" even with the potential for left-leaning Democrats to vote for Williams on the Working Families line. "Kathy is not taking anything for granted and neither are we," he said, adding he expects Hochul to also appear on a new minor party line in November. Zellner also said Hochul will not feel obliged to move her own party as leftward as Working Families wants. "We're not socialists and we're not democratic socialists," he said. "We're Democrats." Hochul and Williams faced each other previously during the 2018 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Hochul, the incumbent, won that contest 53%-47%, even as an upstater in a statewide election dominated by Democrats in Williams' New York City base. Working Families insiders note, however, that Williams came close despite being heavily outspent by Hochul. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A fight that led to a 14-year-old student being severely stabbed and a security guard shot in the leg outside Buffalos McKinley High School shortly after classes let out Wednesday afternoon prompted an hourslong manhunt and a school lockdown. A police source and school official late Wednesday confirmed that the student had been stabbed, not shot, which police on the scene had said earlier in the day. The incident prompted a large police response, when local, state and federal law enforcement, some in SWAT team gear with assault rifles, surrounded the campus, and more than 100 students still inside at the time of the incident were placed on lockdown while worried parents stood outside for hours in the cold. No arrests had been made late Wednesday. Just prior to shots ringing out, there was a physical altercation between a group of people in the schools parking lot, a police source told The Buffalo News. Police on the scene initially said that both the student and the guard had suffered bullet wounds. The boy underwent surgery. Police spokesman Michael J. DeGeorge said late Wednesday he was recovering at Oishei Childrens Hospital. "During surgery it was determined that the 14 year old male student was stabbed multiple times and not shot," DeGeorge said in a text late Wednesday. The security guard's gunshot wound was not life-threatening, DeGeorge said. "We are aggressively working this case," said Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia. "We have a lot of investigators on this." Police have not released a name or a description of the suspect. Gramaglia would not say whether the suspect was believed to be a student. He asked anyone with information about the incident to call the police. He said Buffalo police were being assisted by the FBI, State Police and Erie County Sheriff's Office. At least two armored SWAT vehicles were seen pulling up in front of the school. Squad cars, ambulances and uniformed officers ringed the Elmwood Avenue campus and the Erie County Sheriff's Office helicopter circled overhead for more than an hour. The incident took place at about 3:45 p.m., about 20 minutes after classes were let out, Gramaglia said. It took place at the end of a walkway by the parking lot on the southern side of the school, Gramaglia said. There were roughly 100 students and several teachers in the school at the time of the shooting. The school was placed on lockdown protocol at first as police went through the building looking for shooters. After it was determined the school was safe, the school was downgraded to a shelter-in-place mode. At 6:30 p.m., police were still working with schools officials to release students to parents. A group of parents had assembled outside, whose children were inside. They told reporters police and school officials were not giving them any information about the situation. Children inside the school calling their parents said that everyone had been moved into the cafeteria and they were being fed dinner while waiting to be let go. SUNY Buffalo State police sent out an alert via Twitter to the campus telling people about "an armed person near campus" who was last seen at the high school on Elmwood, headed toward Route 198. "Immediately shelter in place," the campus police tweeted. That order has since been lifted, Buffalo State officials said on Twitter. McKinley will switch to remote learning for at least the next three days "to reset" the school in a "phased approach," Buffalo Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash said. He said it's possible McKinley students would remain on remote all next week, too. He said there have been several incidents at McKinley recently and that the district added 15 staff members to help keep the calm at the school. "Please be assured that we are doing everything we can to continue to keep all of our students safe, and we will have McKinley back very shortly," Cash told reporters. "We certainly want to pray for the young man in the hospital," Cash said. News staff reporter Mary Pasciak contributed to this report. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Maki Becker Chief of the Breaking News/Criminal Justice Desk I've worked at The Buffalo News since 2005. I previously worked as a reporter at the New York Daily News and the Charlotte Observer and was a special correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. Follow Maki Becker 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 Stephen T. Watson News Staff Reporter I report on development, government, crime and schools in the northern Erie County suburbs. I grew up in the Town of Tonawanda and worked at the Post-Standard in Syracuse before joining The News in 2001. Email: swatson@buffnews.com Follow Stephen T. Watson 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 OLAF FUB SEZ: According to Revolutionary War great Thomas Paine, born on this date in 1737, A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right. . . . ACT NOW Todays the deadline for ordering spaghetti dinners for pickup Thursday at the Renaissance Club, 252 Vandervoort St., North Tonawanda. Spaghetti and a meatball is $7. Ravioli and a meatball is $8. Extra meatballs are $1.75. Homemade sauce is $6 a quart. Call 716-695-6129. . . . BANDS VISIT The 15-member Folk Ensemble of Armenia, on tour of America, brings Armenian music and dance to the Clarence Town Park Clubhouse, 10405 Main St., at 7 p.m. Friday in program co-sponsored by the Clarence Concert Association. The Castellani Art Museum will film the program for a project on Armenian culture. Donation is $30. For more info, visit clarenceconcert.org. . . . ITS A DATE The Singles Social Club is hosting a meet-and-greet evening from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in Tim Hortons in Mill Plaza, 8500 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls. For more info, call 716-550-1232. . . . HONEST ABE Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown is marking Lincolns Birthday on Saturday with discounted admissions. Tickets are just $5 if you pay with the bill with Lincolns portrait on it. Meanwhile, the Buffalo History Museum never misses a chance to celebrate Lincolns birthday. The nations longest-running tribute to our 16th president is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. With cake. . . . TRADING PLACES The Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, 845 Depot Ave. West, Niagara Falls, and Explore and More, the Ralph C. Wilson Childrens Museum at Canalside in downtown Buffalo will hold free Black History Month programs for kids 3 to 12 at 2 p.m. Saturday in each others facilities. Youngsters will learn about Black role models, past and present, followed by an art-making session. For more info and to register, click on Events at niagarafallsundergroundrailroad.org. . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY Albert Pautler, Amy Kedron, Sue Chiappone, Paula Eagle, Stuart Foster, Mary Ann Gullo, Tim Porter, Joe Toohey, Greg Louth, Cathy Botkins, Ken Poch, Ryan Lates, Eugene Czosek Sr., Stan Nowak, Conor McGuire, Steve Pookah Otremba Jr., Nicholas Roman, Margaret Bukkosy, Jeannie LeBarron, Barbara Jones and Mary Gilmartin. AND THURSDAY Larry Soong, Mindy Cervoni, Diane Benczkowski, Chip Coe, Michael Merrell, John Michael Buczkowski, David Uzar, Bonnie Platt, Mark Cunningham, Elisabeth Snowdy, Bill Nordstrom, Tommy Fraschella, Billy Scahall, Jordan Graber, Maggie Campbell, Bob Newton, Sierra Pyle, Bill Whited III, Benjamin LaGrow, Kerrie Yeates and Michelle Grabowski. To submit birthdays and other items of interest to Reporters Notebook, please email olaffub@buffnews.com or send a letter to Reporters Notebook, Buffalo News, Box 100, Buffalo, NY 14240. The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Gov. Kathy Hochul will announce Wednesday whether she will lift New York's universal mask requirement in public places and in K-12 schools. The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the decision, reported Tuesday night that she will eliminate the mask mandate for public places. It was due for renewal on Thursday. The Times said it was unclear whether masking in schools also would be ended. Hochul had been getting pressure to lift the mandate like the governors in surrounding states have done. What are other states doing about mask mandates? Gov. Kathy Hochul says she's going to make an announcement Wednesday about the future of New York's mask mandate for indoor public spaces, which is set to expire Thursday. Here's a look at what other states are doing. She met with school leaders and stakeholders Tuesday, and the educators left feeling pessimistic there would be a change in the classroom rule. "There is little in what I heard today that would give me confidence that the mandate is going to be lifted as scheduled on Feb. 21," said Hamburg Central Superintendent Michael Cornell, who also is president of the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association. Cornell attended the virtual meeting as part of his role with the New York State Council of School Superintendents. The governor met with representatives of superintendents, principals, school boards and parent teacher associations. "I think all school leaders and stakeholders appreciate the fact that the governor is at least active and reaching out and soliciting the input of school leaders and other stakeholders in the school ecosystem," Cornell said. "It was, I think, clear to those in attendance that the lifting of the mask mandate is under consideration." The mask requirement in schools is scheduled to expire Feb. 21, and school leaders have been sending the governor letters asking for it to be lifted. Cornell said the majority of employees in schools are vaccinated and children are at the least risk but have suffered the most restriction-based consequences from Covid-19. "School superintendents are eagerly awaiting the end of the mask mandate and feel confident we can keep everyone safe under a mask-optional framework," he said. Parents from 14 school districts in central and Western New York signed onto a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Buffalo against the governor, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz and Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein, among others, saying the "suffering of our young people through lockdowns, isolation, quarantine and now mask mandates has been for naught as Covid rates are higher than ever after all these harsh measures have been installed." And two Erie County parents Tuesday sought a declaratory judgment in State Supreme Court to vacate an emergency regulation from the state Health Department that requires students wear masks in schools. Previously, a State Supreme Court justice lifted Hochul's mandate for masks in public places, but a higher court allowed the mandate to stay in place while the appeal is pending. Hochul extended until Thursday the requirement to wear masks in all indoor public places unless the business or venue implements a Covid-19 vaccine requirement. She said the requirement would be reviewed in two-week increments. In anticipation of Hochul announcing a relaxation or end to statewide mask mandates, Poloncarz released a statement Tuesday stating that if the state ends its indoor mask-wearing policy for public places, the county will, as well. If Gov. Hochul ends indoor mask mandate, Erie County will, too Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz released a statement Tuesday stating that if the state ends its indoor mask-wearing policy for public places, the county will as well. "Erie County is prepared to follow the lead of Governor Hochul as she updates the public on New York States stance on masking in tomorrows announcement," he said Tuesday. He noted that when he enacted his mandate regarding mask-wearing in public places in November 2021, Covid cases related to the Delta variant were skyrocketing and hospital capacity was at less than 10%. Then the Omicron variant struck. "Today, thankfully, new infections have dropped tremendously, and hospital bed capacity rates have stabilized," he said, adding, "While these are positive and encouraging signs, a cautious, fact-based approach has always been most prudent and we will remain vigilant while monitoring this data in days and weeks to come." Poloncarz also said that if the governor continues her statewide mask requirement, Erie County will continue its own indoor masking policies for consistency. Poloncarz has faced increasing criticism and political pressure for the county's mandate, which was enacted prior to Hochul's statewide mandate. However, the statewide mandate has been even more strict regarding what is considered a public location. The mask mandates were enacted when Covid-19 infections were rapidly rising. But now they are coming down, with Hochul announcing that the state on Monday had the lowest statewide cases per 100,000 on a seven-day average since Nov. 30, the fewest hospitalizations since Dec. 26 and the fewest patients in intensive care units since Dec. 20. Hochul's decisions on the mask mandates will come as governors in at least five other states announced this week plans to scale back or eliminate their mandates. As of Tuesday, there's some form of a statewide mask mandate for schools in 15 states, including New York, in addition to Washington, D.C., according to the nonpartisan National Academy for State Health Policy. Eight states ban mask mandates in schools. Eleven states have broader indoor mask mandates in place, as does Washington, D.C. On Monday, the governors of five states made announcements about their plans for mask mandates, according to the Associated Press. New Jersey Masks will no longer be required for students, staff or visitors of schools and child care centers starting March 7, Gov. Phil Murphy announced. Individual school districts and child care facilities will be allowed to require universal masking. Schools won't be allowed to bar the wearing of masks. New Jersey does not have a statewide indoor mask mandate for other public buildings. Delaware Delaware's universal indoor mask mandate will expire on Friday, Gov. John Carney said. He also announced that the states school mask mandate will run through the end of March at which point it is scheduled to expire. That date was chosen to give parents time to get their children vaccinated. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont recommended a plan that would end Connecticut's mask mandate in schools and child care centers on Feb. 28. The plan is contingent on the Connecticut General Assembly voting to extend the existing executive order that will expire Feb. 15, according to Lamont's office. In Connecticut, unvaccinated people are required to wear masks in indoor public spaces where close contact is unavoidable. Lamont said he wants mask mandates to remain in place in "healthcare facilities, facilities housing vulnerable populations, public and private transit, and correctional facilities." Oregon Oregons mask requirements for schools will be lifted March 31. The statewide mask requirement for indoor public places will be lifted no later than the end of March, health officials announced. The state health department indicated that the mask requirements could be lifted sooner if the number of new cases and hospitalizations drops faster than expected. California California is set to drop its universal mask mandate for indoor space for vaccinated people Feb. 16. "Everyone will have to wear masks in higher-risk areas such as public transit and nursing homes and other congregate living facilities, state officials said. Also, local governments will be allowed to continue their own indoor masking requirements. State officials also announced that indoor mega events with more than 1,000 people will have to require vaccinations or negative tests, and those who are unvaccinated will be required to wear masks. In Los Angeles County, which is hosting the Super Bowl on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, which is considered an outdoor facility despite having a roof, fans will have to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask unless they're actively eating or drinking, according to KTLA News. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania's Supreme Court struck down the state's school mask mandate in December. News staff reporter Sandra Tan contributed to this report. Concerned about COVID-19? Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Barbara O'Brien Reporter I grew up in Rochester, graduated from St. Bonaventure University and worked in radio before joining The Buffalo News. I report on issues in local communities. Over the years I have covered stories in every town in Erie County. Follow Barbara O'Brien 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 Vietnam receives Vero-Cell COVID-19 vaccine donated by China The Ministry of National Defence received 300,000 doses of Vero-Cell COVID-19 vaccine presented by the Ministry of National Defence of China at a ceremony held at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on February 8. Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo (L) hands over the vaccine to the Vietnamese side (Photo: VNA) Addressing the event, Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo said that the vaccine donation aims to help the army and people of Vietnam overcome COVID-19, which demonstrates the sentiments of the Chinese military in particular and Chinese Government in general to the military and people of Vietnam. On behalf of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien, thanked the Chinese side for the gift which he said is evidence of the friendly neighbourliness and solidarity between the two countries and two militaries in particular. Vero-Cell COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinopharm has been used in over 70 countries, including many Southeast Asian countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Last year on August 23, the Chinese Ministry of National Defence also presented 200,000 doses of Vero-Cell COVID-19 vaccine to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence./. By Trend There have been discussions on social media in Azerbaijan related to the alleged total closure of schools from February 15 for two weeks due to an increase in the number of coronavirus infections, Head of the Public Relations sector in the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Jasarat Valehov told Trend. According to him, this information is unreliable and this is not a subject for discussion at present. Earlier, the head of the Administration and Management of General Education Department of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Education Elnur Aliyev also said that the situation with COVID-19 infection in schools is under control and there is no need for a complete closure of schools. The snowpack has been more persistent around here than its been in several years. Even Wednesday morning, 13 inches remained on the ground at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport observatory, reinforced by last weeks snowstorm on top of the January 16-17 storm, which came on top of the 18 inches of lake effect received on Jan. 6 that focused on the airport. On Wednesday, warmer temperatures reaching the mid 40s combined with more humidity in the air during the afternoon will accelerate some melting, particularly in urban and suburban areas. The melting will slow on Thursday, with cooler temperatures returning, along with some scattered light snow showers and a brisk breeze. Little accumulation will occur with daytime highs dropping back only to the mid 30s, still a little above average. Ahead of a vigorous low pressure system approaching the Great Lakes on Friday, a gusty south-southwest wind over 25 mph will boost readings to the low 40s again, with rain and snow showers ahead of the storm systems cold front. In my Monday article, I wrote we might be dealing with a brief burst of snow upon passage of the cold front, and that is still a possibility. Temperatures will remain above freezing into the afternoon commute, so no major impact from the snow is expected. By Saturday, a colder northwest flow will be taking our temps back down through the low 30s into the 20s during the day, with some scattered lake snow showers of Lakes Huron, Ontario and Erie. Significant accumulations in a northwest flow are unlikely, but the ski slopes may pick up a few inches in places. Any melting will then be on hold for several days. Saturday night lows will fall to the single digits, and Sundays high will be back in the near-frigid rang. You may also note the warmth in southern California, unseasonable even for that region. At Super Bowl kickoff, the temperature will be in the mid-upper 80s. In fact, a heat advisory is in effect for Los Angeles County until 6 p.m. Sunday. Heat advisories in mid-February are unusual. On Valentine's Day, well still be cooling our heels and everything else, struggling to reach 20. Well be back to near 30 on Tuesday, and some melting will resume by Wednesday with a strong southwest flow getting high temps back to the mid 40s, at least for a day. Following some renewed chilling late next week, there are more signs in the extended range upper air ensembles of a more persistent mild ridge of high pressure building in the east, beginning around the Feb. 22. If this kind of a pattern verifies, it would bring a lengthier period of above average temperatures than weve had in some time. *** Earlier in the cold-weather season, reports of extraordinary snow and rain in the Pacific Northwest and much of California gave rise to hope the megadrought that has gripped so much of the West was being broken down. Since that time, however, midwinter snow and rain has again dropped to below average in what used to be the wet season in the West. This is the most current U.S. Drought Monitor status. While there has been improvement where the most exceptional drought had been in place, regions in severe to extreme drought show little improvement. As Dr. Michael Ventrice depicted, rain shortfalls in coastal California and parts of Oregon have shown an exceptionally dry January. The megadrought continues. *** Methane is an extremely potent greenhouse gas. Its molecules have approximately 28 to 36 times the greenhouse impact than those of carbon dioxide. The molecules dont remain in the atmosphere nearly as long as do unabsorbed carbon dioxide molecules, but the warming produced by methanes greenhouse properties may be speeding up a very negative feedback mechanism. In the journal Nature, research outlines a mysterious spike in methane levels in the atmosphere which began around 2007, following a brief slowdown around the year 2000. The word mysterious applies, because the data on sources for much of the increasing methane remains inconclusive. To date, the breakdown of sources looks like this. The basic conundrum is how much more of the increase is coming from more microbial methane release from warming oceans, sea beds, wetlands and thawing permafrost rather than directly from human activity? Carbon dioxide remains, by far, the most important greenhouse gas linked to human activity. But if lower volume but more potent methane emissions, a large part of which appear to be linked to human activity, is accelerating global warming, that warming can speed up methane release beyond its already lofty rate. The feedback consequences of more methane=more warming=more methane will make keeping climate goals all the more difficult than they already are. Local Weather Get the daily forecast and severe weather alerts in your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The European Union announced a blueprint on Tuesday to make one-fifth of the worlds microchips, saying it was open for business to semiconductor giants from Taiwan and other industry leaders. The European Chips Act provides at least 42 billion (US$48 billion) by 2030 in public and private sector capital behind an ambitious plan to effectively double the blocs chip production, to 20 per cent of the global supply of semiconductors, the tiny processing units that will power the industries of the future. Currently, the bloc produces 10 per cent of the worlds supply, few of which are considered to be cutting-edge. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The aim is to make the EU less reliant on other countries, with officials citing the current chip shortage as evidence of the need to bolster Europes supply chain. European Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager (left) and other officials discuss the impact they hope the programme will have on European chip production. Photo: ZUMA Press Wire/dpa The pandemic has painfully exposed the vulnerability of chips and supply chains. You will know that the global shortage of chips has really slowed down our recovery, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. We have seen that whole production lines came to a standstill, for example with cars. While the demand was increasing, we could not deliver as needed because of the lack of chips. Key to the plan will be attracting world-leading chip manufacturers to invest in building the EUs capacity no easy task when its estimated to be two or three times as expensive to make chips in the West than in China and other hi-tech Asian production hubs. While China is not yet an innovator in chip production, it does have a world-class manufacturing supply chain, in which Taiwanese and South Korean semiconductor companies are heavily invested. To attract the industrys leaders, Brussels has loosened EU rules on state aid meaning that member states can, under certain conditions, pump public money into building new or improving old manufacturing facilities. Story continues Margrethe Vestager, the EUs competition tsar, said that the bloc is already in talks with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), a market leader. I know that some of the discussions taking place that include TSMC of Taiwan. And now lets see if those projects, they materialise as well. Europe is open for business, also for TSMC, Vestager said, adding that the companies in the United States, Japan, South Korea and Singapore were like-minded partners the EU would work with. The Taiwan government is in talks with its Lithuanian counterparts about building a manufacturing facility there, a senior diplomat said part of a blossoming relationship that has angered China. Well, at the government level, we are only helping Lithuania. I think this is the first case but we would like to provide assistance for other European countries, Eric Huang, head of the Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius, told the South China Morning Post. Huang said that Taipei has formed an expert group to examine the most feasible way to help develop a tech ecosystem in Lithuania, and subsequently Europe. This is something that we would like to do intelligently because we want it to be a successful case. After the study of our expert groups we are going to understand which are the most feasible sectors for Lithuania to develop is semiconductor industry, Huang said. European Commission Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager at the news conference in Brussels Tuesday on a plan to boost the EU chip industry. Photo: Reuters Brussels, too, has been keen to draw on Taiwans expertise in the sector, although it faces a challenge in managing the geopolitical fallout with China. Late last year it shelved plans to upgrade its trade ties with Taiwan, for fear of further angering China. The upgrade would have established working groups on semiconductors and other hi-tech sectors. Bilateral meetings would take place more regularly than the current annual consultation and at director general level in the EU; previous encounters have involved deputy levels. The plan is likely to be revisited in the coming months. The EUs chips plan drew praise from businesses, with the powerful Federation of German Industries (BDI) describing chip independence as an integral part of a European industrial policy geared towards resilience. Technological competition is intensifying with increasing geopolitical tensions and high state subsidies for semiconductor production from countries such as China and the USA. The European semiconductor strategy must take these developments and the needs of industry in Europe into account, said Iris Ploger, a BDI executive board member. The European Union is in talks with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) hoping to attract the industry giant to member states. Photo: Reuters EU officials cautioned that this plan alone would not be sufficient to make Europe self-sufficient. True independence, Vestager said, would cost between 240 billion and 320 billion. And if you had that kind of money, where to find the capacity actually to build it? The point is that Europe should have a much stronger foothold in the global value chain and in the global supply chain, she said. Nor does the EUs budgetary allocation compare favourably to other economies. The US has allocated US$52 billion by 2026 to its own semiconductor development programme. China is estimated to have invested US$150 billion in the sector through initiatives such as Made In China 2025, the EU estimated. And South Korea will bolster its semiconductor industry by a whopping US$450 billion, through tax incentives, private and public investment by 2030. More from South China Morning Post: This article EU rolls out a red carpet for TSMC and other semiconductor giants first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2022. Boris Johnson will travel to Poland on Thursday and Liz Truss will visit Moscow as part of a concerted effort to address the Ukraine crisis. Reports indicated Mr Johnson will meet Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and President Andrzej Duda as part of an effort to reassure eastern European allies about the UKs support. He will also meet Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at the alliances headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. In Moscow to meet Foreign Minister Lavrov and make clear that Russia must immediately withdraw its forces and respect Ukraines sovereignty or face severe consequences. Any incursion would be a huge mistake. Diplomacy is the only way forward and Russia must pursue that path. pic.twitter.com/weIAnr60Nh Liz Truss (@trussliz) February 9, 2022 Meanwhile the Foreign Secretary flew to Moscow on Wednesday for talks with counterpart Sergei Lavrov during a two-day trip. Her visit is the first by a UK Foreign Secretary for more than four years and comes with tensions high over the build-up of Russian forces near the border with Ukraine. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace is also expected to visit Moscow this week as part of the high-level international push to resolve the crisis. After touching down, Ms Truss said Russia must immediately withdraw its forces and respect Ukraines sovereignty or face severe consequences. Any incursion would be a huge mistake. Diplomacy is the only way forward and Russia must pursue that path, she added. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is flying to Moscow for talks (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The UK is prepared to impose what Ms Truss has branded the toughest sanctions regime against Russia we have ever had if there is an invasion of Ukraine, targeting those closest to the Kremlin. Mr Johnsons trip to Poland was confirmed by the foreign ministry in Warsaw, Reuters reported. He will visit British troops stationed in the country. Story continues It follows his talks with Lithuanias Ingrida Simonyte in Downing Street and a call with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday. Russia has insisted it has no plans to invade Ukraine but President Vladimir Putin has raised concerns about Nato expansion in eastern Europe Ukraine is not a member of the alliance but has received support from the West. Meanwhile, Labour confirmed that party leader Sir Keir Starmer will also travel to Brussels on Thursday to meet Mr Stoltenberg. Sir Keir received a briefing from the Ministry of Defence on Monday about the situation in Ukraine. The opposition leader was afterwards mobbed by anti-Covid restriction protesters on his return to Parliament. Perfuze develops catheter-based technology for treating acute ischemic stroke Financing was led by new investors LSP and Seroba Life Sciences and joined by new investor SV Health Investors and existing investors GALWAY, Ireland, February 09, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Perfuze, a medical device company developing next-generation catheter-based aspiration technology to treat large vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke, has closed a 22.5 million Series A investment round. Proceeds from the financing will be used to drive the next stage of US clinical study and regulatory clearance of its Millipede System. The funds will also be used to support ongoing development of new products and to initiate commercialization of its technology. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220208005643/en/ https://www.perfuze.com/our-solution The Series A funding was led by new investors LSP, investing from its LSP Health Economics Fund 2, and Seroba Life Sciences. The round was also supported by new investor SV Health Investors, investing from its Medtech Convergence Fund and existing investors Earlybird, the HBM-MedFocus Fund, Enterprise Ireland and a syndicate of Irish business veterans and stroke physicians. With the closing of the Series A financing round, Anne Portwich, Partner at LSP, and Daniel OMahony, Partner at Seroba Life Sciences, will join the Perfuze board of directors and Megan MacDonagh, Senior Associate at SV Health investors will join as a Board Observer. "Perfuze has a technology with the potential to significantly improve outcomes for stroke patients," says Anne Portwich, Partner at LSP. "We are delighted to support the company and its management team to expand as it pushes towards getting its life-saving technology to market." Speaking on why Seroba decided to invest in Perfuze, Daniel OMahony said "Seroba recognizes that for patients who have suffered a stroke event, time is brain. Perfuzes Millipede technology will allow for rapid and successful blood vessel recanalization which is vital to improve the patients functional status and reduce mortality following a stroke event." Story continues Wayne Allen, CEO of Perfuze, says: "We are delighted to have completed our Series A financing with such experienced investors and this capital facilitates our continued growth and development. We believe that the Perfuze Millipede System is the next wave of thrombectomy technology in the rapidly growing stroke market and has the potential to positively impact the lives of thousands of stroke patients." According to the WHO, stroke is the second leading global cause of death and a leading cause of disability. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a clot, preventing blood flow. Perfuzes technology aims to provide superior clinical outcomes in shorter procedural times, resulting in safe cost-effective therapy. About Perfuze Based in Galway, Ireland, Perfuze has developed super-bore diameter aspiration technology that has the capability to navigate the complex neurovascular anatomy. Perfuze pipeline of products are designed to facilitate fast, complete clot removal during acute ischemic stroke. Perfuze has CE Mark approval for its first device, Millipede 088 and has successfully treated its first cohort of patients. Perfuze was founded in 2018 by Wayne Allen and Liam Mullins, who have over 35 years combined medtech experience. This is the second medtech company they have co-founded; the previous company, Embo Medical, was acquired by CR Bard in 2016. For more information, please visit www.perfuze.com About LSP LSP is a European investment firm providing financing for life sciences and health care companies. LSPs management has raised over $3.5 billion (3 billion) and supported the growth of 150 companies since it started to invest in 1988, including signature deals such as Argenx, Crucell and Neuravi. With offices in Amsterdam, Munich and Boston, LSP currently has the possibility to invest through five strategies, each having a distinctive investment scope and a dedicated team: LSP 7 invests in private early- to late-stage drug development and medical technology companies; LSP HEF 2 focuses on private late-stage medical technology companies; the LSP Dementia Fund invests in companies targeting neurodegenerative diseases; LSP Public targets public healthcare companies; and EBAC is LSPs SPAC exclusively focusing on European biotech. LSP is an active contributor to the global life sciences industry and the European life science eco-system by assuming roles as initiators, founders and board members in various private and public bodies and organizations, for example being founder and board member of the Oncode Institute. For more information: lspvc.com. About Seroba Life Sciences Seroba is a European life sciences venture capital firm focused on investing in winning innovations in biotech and medtech. The team has deep investment and industry experience enabling Seroba to help entrepreneurs realise their ambitions whilst creating value for investors. The firm has a number of funds under management and has built a portfolio of investee companies across multiple indications. Seroba partners with entrepreneurs to create and build businesses around extraordinary science. Follow our story at www.seroba-lifesciences.com About SV Health Investors SV Health Investors is a leading healthcare fund manager investing in tomorrows healthcare breakthroughs. The SV family of funds invests across stages, geographic regions and sectors, with expertise spanning healthcare services / technology, medical products, biotechnology, dementia and public equities. With approximately $2.7B in assets under management and a truly transatlantic presence with offices in Boston and London, SV has built an extensive network of talented investment professionals and experienced industry veterans. Since its founding in 1993, SV has invested in more than 200 companies with more than 90 of these having achieved successful acquisitions or IPOs. The Medtech Convergence Fund (MCF) is a seed and early-stage venture capital fund focused on the increasing convergence of medical technology with software, telecommunications, and new service models to create solutions to some of the most significant health challenges. For more information: svhealthinvestors.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220208005643/en/ Contacts Wayne Allen, CEO Perfuze Email: wayne@perfuze.com by Tom Townsend Northampton, MA --News Direct-- Acre London-based vertical farming technology company, which enables companies to grow sustainable produce in urban areas, without using soil has raised 21m to accelerate the company to produce affordable, higher quality produce. Vertical Future, the brainchild of former Ernst & Young life sciences consultant Jamie Burrows and his Ph.D. health economist wife Marie-Alexandrine Burrows, has reached the Series A round, hailed the largest to ever reach European shores in the controlled environment agriculture space. Series A is the name given to a company's first significant round of financing and funding. This round included Pula Investments, environmentalist Gregory Nasmyth, Nickleby Capital (representing various ultra-high net worth family offices), Dyfan Investment and other undisclosed investors. SFC Capital, the companys second-largest shareholder also took part in the round. Alongside the money they had already raised, the new funding will be used in several ways; to drive the deployment of the farms, to integrate specific manufacturing capabilities and to expand the team to a headcount of more than 60 by the end of June this year. Jamie Burrows, CEO, said: Unlike others in the vertical farming sector whose technologies and ambitions are restricted to growing only premium-priced salad and microgreens for a premium domestic and restaurant market, we are aiming to feed everyday working families with fairly-priced, higher-quality produce. This is achieved through a combination of technology, scale and data insights. With a series of projects in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Singapore, the company aims to further accelerate growth and is already in talks with several major UK retail and logistics brands. It has a research and development programme with the University of Cambridge, Loughborough University and NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany) which looks at various research including maximising yield, nutritional profile of vertically and exploration into phytopharmaceuticals (herbal medicines). Story continues Tom Townsend, Principal Consultant at Acre said: It is exciting to see innovative, scalable solutions to the food challenges the world faces. However, without significant improvements in more traditional areas of agriculture, we will not deliver food security for the worlds most vulnerable citizens, nor the reduction in emissions needed to meet our climate ambitions." To discuss upcoming opportunities, please reach out to Tom via tom.townsend@acre.com Tom focuses on mid-senior level Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability appointments across Europe. Previously, Tom focused on senior appointments within Procurement & Supply Chain, with a particular expertise in Consumer Goods across the DACH markets Tom joined Acre to continue the companys international growth. He holds a first-class degree in Mathematics. About AcreAt Acre, we work with the most aspirational businesses with potential to make real change; from those who are just starting out to those who are well on the journey to crafting a legacy. Our 18 years' experience in sustainability recruitment, combined with our extensive global network, enables us to provide talent solutions that are designed to deliver this change. Through our unique behavioural assessment technology, we understand the types of people, skills and behaviours required to create impact. We can develop these qualities within your existing teams too. We find talented people and develop their skills to ensure they make a true impact in ambitious, progressive organisations. Acre. Making companies ready for tomorrow. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Acre on 3blmedia.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/soil-free-vertical-farming-firm-raises-ps21million-in-funds-509001409 Thai truckers' protest at diesel prices clogs capital Trucks group seeks to paralyse Bangkok during protest over diesel prices By Jiraporn Kuhakan BANGKOK (Reuters) - Hundreds of freight trucks deliberately clogged a major thoroughfare of Thailand's notoriously congested capital on Tuesday, seeking to pressure the government into lowering diesel prices. Police tried unsuccessfully to shift the protesting trucks and taxi drivers as they crawled along the main northbound highway out of Bangkok, some carrying banners demanding the energy minister's resignation for failing to make fuel affordable. "We have asked the government to fix the fuel price problem many times, but nothing happened," said Apichart Prairungruang, chairman of the Land Transport Federation of Thailand. "The government has never responded to our demands... From now on, we will pressure the government with a bigger group." The federation wants the price for a litre of diesel capped at 25 baht ($0.76), lower than the 30 baht per litre cap the energy ministry has maintained since October. It says the real price is 35 baht per litre, which reflects the rise in prices globally. Ministry spokesperson Sompop Pattanariyankool said truck drivers' demands would require 18 billion baht ($546.8 million) per month in state subsidies, which "cannot be done". Khomdet Jumpaman, who drove 700 km (435 miles) from the northern province of Chiang Mai, said he was struggling and had fewer customers because of his increased transportation costs. "We have to give up our profit to cover the fuel cost, so I'm here asking the government to help." ($1 = 32.9200 baht) (Additional reporting by Pararat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) U.S. Army's first climate strategy calls for emissions cuts, base protections FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of Offutt Air Force Base and the surrounding areas affected by flood waters in Nebraska By Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Army released its first climate strategy on Tuesday designed to help protect bases against damage from global warming and improve readiness by training soldiers to deal with a world with more killer heat waves, droughts and floods. Driven by executive orders by President Joe Biden to tackle climate change, the Army's climate strategy calls for the service to halve greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and bring them to net-zero by 2050, in line with his wider goals for the country. "We face all kinds of threats in our line of work, but few of them truly deserve to be called existential. The climate crisis does," Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in the strategy. "Climate change is making the world more unsafe and we need to act." Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin soon after Biden took office last year said the Pentagon would include the risk of climate change in military simulations and war gaming. Biden's actions reversed course from former President Donald Trump, who questioned whether humans cause climate change and was angered by reports from his military and intelligence agencies that climate change posed national security risks. U.S. military and intelligence officials over the past decade have come to agreement about the security threats of climate change, including damage to American military bases worldwide, increased global competition over natural resources, and risk of armed conflicts in places where populations are disrupted. U.S. military bases, including Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska and Tyndall Air Force base in Florida, have suffered billions of dollars in damage in recent years from intense flooding and hurricanes. High temperatures at Army bases in Texas and other southern states also have made training of recruits more dangerous. The strategy calls for the Army to slash emissions from buildings, develop an all-electric, non-tactical vehicle fleet by 2035, and the placement of a microgrid, an independent energy system that can use many sources of power including renewables at every installation by 2035. Story continues The Army currently has 950 renewable energy projects, such as a 2.1 megawatt solar field at Kentucky's Fort Knox, and 25 microgrid projects planned through 2024. The strategy also calls for leadership and workforce training to include climate change topics no later than 2028 and to publish lessons learned about climate change and best practices starting in 2024. Francesco Femia, co-founder of the Center for Climate and Security and the Council on Strategic Risks, said the Army's commitment to reduce emissions and consider global warming impact on everything from strategy to operations shows a "real understanding of both the urgent and wide-ranging security risks of climate change." (Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Bill Berkrot) The site of Future Bakery in Etobicoke where a pro-Ukraine banner and a mural were defaced in the early hours of Tuesday morning. An expletive written on the wall has been blurred. (CBC - image credit) Toronto Police say they are investigating after a Ukrainian-Canadian bakery in Etobicoke was defaced on Tuesday morning with anti-Ukrainian messages Borys Wrzesnewskyj, the owner of Future Bakery on North Queen Street, had put up a banner that said "#STANDWITHUKRAINE" and "#StopPutinNOW" to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they face a possible Russian military invasion. On Tuesday morning, someone painted over the banner and a mural on the side of the bakery with the words "Russia is power," "Fk Ukrian [sic] and Canada," "#LOSERS" and the word "Russia" written in the Russian language. Words on the banner were also painted over so that it read "#Putin," referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "This was not just graffiti, not just vandalism. It was an attempt at intimidation and it's hateful," said Wrzesnewskyj, whose family came to Canada from Ukraine after the Second World War. The incident happened as U.S. and Ukrainian officials estimate more than 100,000 Russian troops are gathered near Ukraine's border. The Canadian government is warning against travel to Ukraine and is urging Canadians in the country to leave as western powers try to persuade Putin not to invade his much smaller neighbour. Wrzesnewskyj said the bakery was vandalized between midnight and 4:45 a.m. Toronto police said they're investigating the incident as mischief and that specialized officers from the Hate Crime Unit may support the investigation if they are needed. Peter Schturyn, the president of the Toronto branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, said the comments painted on the bakery were "really heinous and hateful." "We as a community are appalled," he said. "Ukrainians just want to be left alone and manage their own affairs in their own country." CBC Future Bakery has been open in Etobicoke since 1996. Wrzesnewskyj is also a former federal member of parliament, and he held the riding of Etobicoke Centre from 2004 to 2011 and from 2015 to 2019. Wrzesnewskyj says he plans to put up the banner again, although he may need to order a new one. The mural, meanwhile, is unique and he said he will have to think about how to replace it. "If we allow ourselves to be intimidated by propagators of hate and people who under the cover of darkness are trying to intimidate, then we've lost. So we cannot be intimidated," he said. BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's senior Christian cleric called on Wednesday for the government to agree a plan with the International Monetary Fund to save the country from financial collapse and said elections should be held on time later this year. The Lebanese government began a new round of talks with the IMF last month in the hope of securing an agreement - something Beirut has failed to achieve since the crisis erupted in 2019 and pushed a majority of the population into poverty. Speaking on the occasion of Saint Maroun Day, Patriarch Bechara Boutros Al-Rai said the government must accelerate reforms and "agree with the IMF on a plan that saves Lebanon from collapse". An IMF deal is widely seen the only way for Lebanon to unlock foreign aid it needs to get out of the crisis, which came to a head when the economy collapsed under huge public debts caused by decades of state corruption and mismanagement. Rai also said a parliamentary election scheduled for May should be held on time. The new parliament is due to elect a head of state later in the year to replace President Michel Aoun. Aoun and other leaders have said they are committed to holding the May polls. However, analysts say some parties, including allies of the powerful Iran-backed Shi'ite Hezbollah group who together with it have a parliamentary majority, could face setbacks in the election, the first since the financial collapse. Rai exercises influence in Lebanon as the head of the Maronite church, from which the head of state must be drawn under a sectarian power-sharing system. Rai last month warned against attempts to "circumvent" the election https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanese-patriarch-warns-against-calls-postponing-vote-2022-01-30. Rai is a critic of Hezbollah, saying it has harmed Lebanon by dragging it into regional conflicts where the group has supported Iran and its regional allies as they compete for influence with Sunni-led Gulf Arab states. Rai reiterated his call for Lebanon to adopt a position of "positive neutrality" in its foreign relations. (Reporting by Nadine Awadalla; Writing by Lina Najem/Tom Perry; Editing by Toby Chopra, William Maclean) ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Sixteen people went on trial in Istanbul on Tuesday, charged with political and military espionage on behalf of Israel, Turkish media reports said. The defendants, including Palestinians and Syrians, were arrested in October in an operation by Turkeys national intelligence agency, MIT, according to the pro-government Sabah newspaper and other Turkish media. They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The suspects allegedly spied on Palestinian and Turkish students and other people on behalf of Israel, operating in five separate groups, Sabah newspaper reported. Some of the suspects allegedly met with Israeli officials in Switzerland, Croatia, Romania and Kenya. Turkish intelligence officers reportedly monitored the group for a year before they were arrested. Turkish officials have not commented on the arrests. Sabah said the initial hearings in the trial would last four days. The Associated Press A number of economic sectors in Bahrain have continued to recover and improvement has been recorded in most of the indicators monitored for the year 2021, the Ministry of Finance and National Economy data shows. The ministry has released a summary of the performance of a number of economic indicators monitored periodically during the year 2021 compared to the previous year. Some indicators have even surpassed the pre-pandemic levels, said a Bahrain News Agency report. In terms of foreign trade, the total value of non-oil exports during the year 2021 amounted to about BD4.7 billion, registering an increase of 52.6% compared to the year 2020. The value of national-origin exports increased by 67.3% to reach BD4 billion, and the total value of non-commercial imports amounted to BD4 billion. The oil sector reached about BD5.3 billion, achieving a growth of 10.8%. The trade balance of non-oil goods recorded a clear improvement during 2021, as the trade gap decreased by 62.9% from BD1.7 billion in 2020 to BD0.6 billion in 2021. On the other hand, the value of both exports and imports exceeded the pre-pandemic levels, as the value of exports increased by 73.8%, and the value of imports witnessed a growth of 6.7% compared to 2019. In the real estate sector, the number of building permits soared by 21.4%, while in the construction sector, the issued permits jumped by 55.8%. In addition, the number of real estate transactions registered with the Survey and Land Registration Authority increased by 29%. In the hospitality sector, the total incoming tourism revenues grew 161%, and the number of tourist nights increased 179% during 2021, compared to 2020. The occupancy rate of hotels (4 and 5 stars) rose by 60.7%, and the average spending also increased. The daily visitor spend stood at to BD75 in 2021, up from BD67.7 in 2020. The trade sector showed an increase in the number of new commercial registration of companies in 2021 by 38.7%, as well as new commercial registrations for individuals by 7.8%. The value of sales at points of sale for ATM cards issued in Bahrain increased by 17.1%, and the movement of incoming and outgoing trucks across the King Fahd Causeway increased by 6.9%. In terms of foreign trade, the total value of non-oil exports during the year 2021 amounted to about BD4.7 billion, registering an increase of 52.6% compared to the year 2020. The value of national-origin exports increased by 67.3% to reach BD4 billion, and the total value of non-commercial imports amounted to BD4 billion. The oil sector reached about BD5.3 billion, achieving a growth of 10.8%. The trade balance of non-oil goods recorded a clear improvement during 2021, as the trade gap decreased by 62.9% from BD1.7 billion in 2020 to BD0.6 billion in 2021. On the other hand, the value of both exports and imports exceeded the pre-pandemic levels, as the value of exports increased by 73.8%, and the value of imports witnessed a growth of 6.7% compared to 2019. OTTAWA The first art historian to be appointed to the Senate says the work of Canadas Black artists is not sufficiently recognized or celebrated. But now Sen. Patricia Bovey, former director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery and a National Gallery of Canada board member for many years, has set out to change that. She has brought about the first exhibition of works by Black artists in the Senate. Pieces by celebrated Black artists now hang in the foyer of the Senate, the second set of pictures in a series honouring their contribution to Canadian culture. They comprise anacrylic work on paper by the late Trinidadian Canadian painter Denyse Thomasos, entitled "Wyoming Saddle," as well as "Light Laureate," a mixed-media piece by American-born Tim Whiten. Bovey said the installation is designed to bring the very significant accomplishments of Canadas Black artists to the fore. Their contributions are neither well enough known or adequately celebrated, she said. I hope their visual voices will be seen and heard on the Hill and across the country and that presentations of their work will rise and herald the substance of their art and contributions to the fabric of Canadian expression. Bovey has introduced a private member's bill to create a visual art laureate in Parliament. If approved by MPs and Senators, the laureate would select art to hang in Parliament that reflects all communities in Canada, including Black and Indigenous artists. Bovey put together an exhibition of Inuit art last year in the Senate. But her attention has turned to promoting Black art in Canada, which she says is rich and diverse. "Light Laureate" is behind glass etched with a delicate floral motif. It includes maple wood, fragments of burnt paper and a mirror that reflects the image of anyone looking at the piece. She calls "Wyoming Saddle" by Thomasos a stellar piece of work. The painter, who was brought up in Toronto and later based in New York, died suddenly in 2012 at the age of 47. Acclaimed internationally, she often employed an abstract rib cage motif to evoke themes of slavery and confinement. Story continues Artworks last year included "Stolen Identities," a work by Winnipeg painter Yisa Akinbolaji, depictingLouis Riel within a Metis dream catcher, and "Who's Who in Canada 1927," a mixed-media installation by British Columbia-based artist Chantal Gibson. Gibson explored the omission of Black voices in Canadian historical texts, working black thread through a 1927 edition of "Who's Who in Canada." Next to it, an e-reader played a recording of Gibson flipping through the reference book searching for entries of Black Canadian historical figures. The Senate is not the only place where politicians are looking to highlight Black cultural history. Diversity and Inclusion Minister Ahmed Hussen said Black people have been an important part of Canadas history for hundreds of years, a fact that was sometimes overlooked. In Nova Scotia alone, he found a depth of black history going back centuries that was not something I learned about until I became a Member of Parliament," Hussen said in an interview. Nova Scotia has become home to Maroons who left Jamaica after fighting the British in 1796, communities of freed slaves, people fleeing slavery south of the border via the underground railroad and subsequent waves of black immigrants. Hussen said the government is helping to preserve a 165-year-old church built by former enslaved people in Ontario, including Harriet Tubman, a key figure on the underground railroad. Some of their descendants still attend the chapel. The Salem Chapel British Methodist Episcopal Church in St. Catharines, Ont., was in a state of disrepair, raising safety concerns. Last year it was approved for a $100,000 grant through the federal Supporting Black Canadian Communities initiative. This is a piece of Canadian history that was falling apart," Hussen said. "We were able to provide funding that will rejuvenate that structure,." He said the stories of Black figures, including Mathieu da Costa and Viola Desmond, were integral to Canada's past, but "we need to do more" to celebrate and teach Black history in Canada. He said the government had also approved a 2017 stamp commemorating da Costa, the first recorded free Black person to arrive in Canada. Born in 1589, da Costa is believed to have arrived in Canada in the early 1600s. He was employed as an interpreter between Indigenous Peoples and Europeans mapping North America. Some accounts say he assisted Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer who founded Quebec City in 1608. In 2018, Desmond became the first Canadian woman to appear alone on the face of a bank note a $10 bill. In 1946, Desmond challenged racial segregation by refusing to leave the whites-only area of a cinema in New Glasgow, N.S. Hussen said stories such as hers were too little known. He didn't learn about Desmond "who preceded Rosa Parks by nine years" until he went to law school. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2022. Marie Woolf, The Canadian Press By Julie Steenhuysen and Carl O'Donnell (Reuters) - With COVID-19 cases still high nationwide, "now is not the moment" to drop mask mandates in schools and other public places, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told Reuters on Tuesday. Her comments follow announcements by officials in New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, California and Oregon that they plan to lift indoor mask mandates for K-12 public schools and other indoor spaces in coming weeks, seeking a return to normalcy as infections spurred by the Omicron variant of the coronavirus ebb. "I know people are interested in taking masks off. I too am interested. That would be one marker that we have much of the pandemic behind us," Walenksy said in an interview. Right now our CDC guidance has not changed ... We continue to endorse universal masking in schools. Walensky said the CDC has always acknowledged that state and local jurisdictions are responsible for masking policies, but the agency's guidance remains unchanged. "We have and continue to recommend masking in areas of high and substantial transmission - that is essentially everywhere in the country in public indoor settings," she said. She sees the health crisis becoming endemic when infections are at a steady state and the virus is no longer disruptive to society. And while Walensky said she is cautiously optimistic COVID-19 cases in the United States will fall below crisis levels, "I don't think we're there right now." Even with declines in infections from recent record highs, Walensky noted that the United States is still seeing around 290,000 COVID-19 cases each day and higher rates of hospitalization than it did during the peak of cases caused by the Delta variant in 2021. Hospital capacity is one of the most important barometers for whether COVID-19 should be considered a pandemic-level public health crisis, Walensky said. Right now, U.S. hospitals remain overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases, she added. Story continues A sign the virus has become endemic, she said, is when "anybody walking in the door who'd come in for a heart attack or a stroke or a motor vehicle accident could quickly get care because hospitals weren't overburdened or overwhelmed." As the pandemic recedes, monitoring cases will remain important, as will testing for levels of virus in municipal wastewater, a program the CDC has recently expanded. "We can see rises in cases in wastewater signals four to six days before we ever see rising cases," she said. Case counts and wastewater data will be used as early warning signals that a surge is coming and that people should resume COVID precautions, such as getting boosted or covering faces indoors, she said. Preparing for some semblance of normal life with COVID represents "a lot of the work that we have ahead as we work to come out of this crisis time." (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen and Carl O'Donnell; Editing by Bill Berkrot) Boris Johnson has insisted that Britain will not flinch and will continue to offer unconditional and immovable support to Nato, amid continued fears that Russia could be preparing to invade Ukraine. Moscow continues to add military might to its army amassed near the Ukrainian border, following a series of demands to Nato which were formally rejected last month including that Ukraine will not be allowed to join the western military alliance. Echoing comments by defence secretary Ben Wallace on Monday, as he dispatched a further 350 British troops to Poland, the prime minister warned Vladimir Putin that invading Ukraine would backfire and only serve to strengthen Nato. There could not be a more compelling argument for the necessity of Nato than the sight of Russian tanks invading a European country once again, Mr Johnson wrote in The Times, warning the Kremlin its objectives would not be served by inflicting still greater destruction and bloodshed on Ukraine. But following a five-hour dinner meeting in Moscow with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, the Russian president warned that, if Ukraine joins Nato and seeks to retake Crimea which Russia annexed in 2014 then European nations will automatically be drawn into military conflict with Russia beyond [their] will, adding: There will be no winners. As the first western leader hosted in Moscow since tensions intensified late last year, Mr Macron is due to speak to the Russian leader again after a trip to Ukraine tomorrow. The next few days will be decisive and will require intensive discussions which we will pursue together, the French president told reporters after his meal with Mr Putin. Mr Putin also appeared tentatively positive about the meeting, saying: A number of his ideas, proposals, which are probably still too early to talk about, I think it is quite possible to make the basis of our further joint steps. French media reported that, prior to the meeting, Mr Macron suggested that a Finlandisation of Ukraine was one of the models on the table a reference to how Finland maintained its independence from the Soviet Union during the Cold War on the condition that it remained strictly neutral. Story continues Mr Putin also urged Ukraine to comply with the Minsk agreements brokered by France and Germany in 2015 which include an aim to end the separatist war by Russian-speakers in the Donbas region, but also contain aspects some experts believe are incompatible with Ukraines existence as a sovereign country. But Mr Macron said the independence of Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus where Russia is conducting military exercises must be preserved, saying: Together ... Im sure we will get a result, even if its not easy. Meanwhile, Mr Putin accused the US and Nato of bypassing" its demands last month, but said: I do not think that this is where our dialogue ends. Now we will formulate an answer, our vision, and send it to Washington and Brussels. Their comments came shortly after a press conference held in the White House by Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz, the new German chancellor, who appeared to strengthen Berlins commitment to derailing the multibillion-pound Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany in the event that Russia invades Ukraine. The US president told reporters that if Russian troops cross Ukraines border, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2, saying: We will bring it to an end. While Mr Scholz did not use the pipelines name, he stressed that US and Germany would act together jointly to impose severe sanctions in the event of an invasion, saying: There wont be any measures in which we have a different approach. Switching to English for emphasis, he added that the US and Germany will be united. But questions were raised over Mr Scholzs commitment to the Baltic Sea pipeline threat, after he once again failed to explicitly name Nord Stream 2 as among the economic deterrents on the table in a later interview with CNN, merely repeating his vow to remain aligned with the US. Mr Scholz told the broadcaster he did not know whether Ukraines president Volodymr Zelensky had cancelled a planned meeting on Monday with foreign minister Annalena Baerbock as a result of Germanys stance on the pipeline, as suggested to CNN by one Kiev source as opposed to the scheduling error blamed officially. It came after a batch of the 3,000 American forces pledged by Washington to bolster Natos eastern flank arrived in Poland on Sunday. At a press conference with his Polish counterpart, Mariusz BAaszczak, the UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said the 350 troops also pledged by the UK were being dispatched in the spirit of solidarity. Poland is also facing a crisis on its own border with Belarus, whose leader Alexander Lukashenko is an ally of Mr Putin. Writing in The Times on Monday night, Mr Johnson said Britain was also considering deploying royal air force Typhoon fighters and royal navy warships to protect southeastern Europe. British sanctions and other measures will be ready for any renewed Russian attack, the prime minister said. Highlighting the confusion over Mr Scholzs pipeline stance, Mr Johnson also welcomed Germany's statement that Nord Stream 2 would be reconsidered in the event of an incursion, and said his government would ask MPs for new powers to widen potential sanctions on firms linked to the Kremlin. On Sunday, Labour shadow ministers Rachel Reeves and David Lammy wrote to their opposite numbers in government, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, urging the Tories to return money from donors with links to Russia, alleged to amount to 1.93m since Mr Johnson assumed power in 2019. Additional reporting by agencies Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty Late last year, a forensic firearms analyst in Wisconsin emailed a remarkable document to more than 200 of her colleagues across the country. It was a handout from an online lecture given by Jim Agar, the assistant general counsel for the FBI Crime Lab. For years, forensic firearms analysts have claimed the ability to examine the marks on a bullet found at a crime scene and match it to the gun that fired itto the exclusion of all other guns. It can be powerfully persuasive to juries. But over the last decade or so, some scientists have cast doubt on the claim. Forensic firearms analysis falls into a subcategory of forensics colloquially known as pattern matching. In these specialties, an analyst looks at a piece of evidence from a crime scene and compares it with a piece of evidence associated with a suspect. Centrist Democrats Tough on Crime Plans Arent Pragmatic, Theyre Delusional The most damning criticism of the field came in a 2016 report by the Presidents Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, or PCAST, which found that firearms analysis currently falls short of the criteria for foundational validity, and that the studies the fields practitioners often cite to support their work are poorly designed and seriously underestimate the false positive rate. After decades of deferring to these forensic analysts, a handful of judges started to heed the warnings from scientists, and have put limits on what some forensic witnesses can say in court. Those decisions have sparked a defensive backlash in the forensics community, along with rebukes from law enforcement officials and prosecutors. Agars document is part of that backlash. In the two-page handout, Agar instructs firearms analysts on how to circumvent judges restrictions on unscientific testimony. He even suggests dialogue for prosecutors and analysts to recite if challenged. Most controversially, Agar advises analysts to tell judges that any effort to restrict their testimony to claims backed by scientific research is tantamount to asking them to commit perjury. Story continues Agars document was so volatile, it was upbraided by the Texas Forensic Science Commission (TFSC). That agencythe only one of its kindwas formed in the wake of revelations that bogus expert testimony likely caused the state to convict and execute an innocent man, and is tasked with ensuring that expert testimony given in Texas courtrooms is scientifically valid. The TFSC called Agars advice to firearm analysts irredeemably faulty, and stated that it runs counter to core principles in science. This is just really unbelievable, Ellen Yaroshefsky, a professor of legal ethics at Hofstra University, told The Daily Beast after reviewing Agars memo. Hes encouraging false testimony and hes undermining respect for the judiciary. I mean, hes saying that if a judge says you cant give unscientific testimony, youre being forced to commit perjury? Its just absurd. A Short History of FBI Forensic Blunders Agars employer, the FBI crime lab, is often touted as the most prestigious forensics institution in the world. But the lab has also overseen some embarrassing, high-profile scandals. Portland lawyer Brandon Mayfield speaks at a press conference May 24, 2004, in Portland, Oregon. Mayfield was exonerated of involvement in terrorist activities connected with the train bombings in Spain. Greg Wahl-Stephens/Getty In 2004, FBI analysts erroneously matched a partial fingerprint from the Madrid train bombings to falsely implicate Oregon lawyer Brandon Mayfield. A year later, the agency conceded theres no scientific evidence to support comparative bullet lead analysis, a subfield of forensics based on the premise that each batch of bullets has a unique chemical signature. For years, analysts had cited this theory to claim that a bullet found at a crime scene could only have come from, say, a box of bullets found in a suspects home. It just wasnt true. In 2015, the agency was forced to cop to an even bigger scandal: For decades, its analysts had claimed an ability to match hair and carpet fibers that just isnt scientifically feasible. One review found FBI analysts had made statements unsupported by science in 95 percent of the cases in which they testified. Such testimony sent hundreds of people to prison, including to death row. Those analysts also trained dozensperhaps hundredsof state and local analysts in the same dubious methods, potentially corrupting thousands more cases. None of that has appeared to chasten the agency. Instead, the FBI and the Justice Department have been stubborn and defensive in the face of criticism, rejecting offers from scientific organizations to audit their methods and blind test their analysts. DOJ officials have assured the public that theyd conduct their own internal reviews, but have then been opaque about when or how or even if those reviews were conducted, or what they found. Agars handout to firearms analysts suggests little has changed. The core problem with pattern matching fields of forensics is that theyre inherently subjective. In addition to firearms analysis, they include specialties like comparing a hair found on the victim with a hair from the suspects head, or pry marks found on a door frame to a screwdriver found in the suspects house, or a bite mark on the victim to a mold of the suspects teeth. In nearly all of these fields, there has been little effort to identify how frequently the characteristics that might distinguish one piece of evidence from another occur among the entire population of those particular things. You cant say that because a hair is a particular color or thickness it definitely came from a particular suspect unless you also know how often that color and thickness occur together in the general population. And in a field like tool mark analysis, this part of the equation may not even be knowable. For an analyst to say the pry marks on a door frame could only have been produced by a particular screwdriver, for example, would require that analyst to know for certain that no other object on Earth could possibly have created similar marks. Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty Most of the fields of forensics were developed not by scientists, but by law enforcement to generate leads or to help convict suspects once they had been identified. Until recently, neither the analysts nor their methods had been subjected to the rigors of scientific inquiryto processes like peer review or blind proficiency testing. Most also arent amenable to scientific concepts, such as calculating a margin for error. Its helpful to contrast these specialties with DNA testing, which actually did come from the scientific community. We know precisely how often certain DNA markers occur in the human population. This means that when scientists generate a DNA profile from a spot of blood at the scene of a crime, an analyst can say exactly how likely it is that the sample came from a particular suspect. Tellingly, unlike other forensic specialists, DNA analysts tend to shy away from terms like match. Instead, they state the statistical probability that a sample could have come from anyone other than the suspect. Moreover, for most pattern matching fields, even if it were possible to calculate how often distinguishing characteristics occur, there has been little effort to gauge how proficient the analysts are at actually identifying and distinguishing those characteristics. That may be because the tests that have been done are disconcerting. In one proficiency test given to bite mark analysts, for example, the participants couldnt even agree on whether the test marks were human bites, animal bites, or some other injury. Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty The field of forensic firearms or ballistics analysis, the subject of Agars memo, rests on two underlying premises. The first is that when a gun is fired, it leaves unique, identifiable marks on the bulletmarks that cant be replicated by any other gun. The second is that, by examining these marks, firearms analysts can objectively and reliably match them to the gun that fired them, to the exclusion of all other guns. Panic Over the Spike in Shootings Is Leading Straight to a New Surveillance State There is no scientific research to support either premise. At best, in some cases, an analyst could say with some certainty that a particular gun did not fire a particular bullet. Alicia Carriquiry is director at the Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence at Iowa State. She and her team have been assembling a database of the ballistics marks left on bullets. Their research thus far has indicated theres little support for the claim that every gun leaves unique marks on the bullets it firesor least not in a way thats useful for distinguishing one gun from another. Controlled studies have also shown that the entire field of forensic firearms analysis is inherently subjective. The Houston Forensic Science Center is one of the few crime labs in the country to take a strictly scientific approach to forensics. Director Peter Stout regularly administers blind proficiency tests to his analysts. He first gave his ballistics analysts sensitivity tests, in which they were asked to determine whether two bullets were fired by the same gun. The analysts reached the correct conclusion about 76 percent of the timeleaving a lot of room for reasonable doubt. Stout also gave his analysts specificity tests, in which they were asked to determine whether two bullets were fired by different guns. Here, the success rate dipped to 34 percent. Carriquiry points to another recent sensitivity studyfunded by the FBI itselfin which the analysts success rate was just 48 percent. A dispassionate observer would say that they would have made fewer mistakes if they had flipped a coin, Carriquiry says. Given that astonishingly low accuracy, it seems pure hubris to be recommending to examiners to push back. A Repeating Pattern In a series of decisions in the 1990s, the U.S. Supreme Court made judges the gatekeepers of science in the courtroom: Judges would determine which experts were credible enough to be heard by juries, and which were not. But judges arent trained in science; theyre trained in the law. So it should come as no surprise that theyve taken on this responsibility as lawyers might, not as scientists do. Because we have an adversarial legal system, for example, theyve taken a similar approach to expert testimony. They tend to let each side bring in its own expert, let the experts fight it out on the witness stand, and then leave it to the jury to decide which expert is more credible. The problem with an adversarial approach is that the skills it takes to persuade a jury arent necessarily the same skills it takes to be a thoughtful and careful scientist. In fact the two are often contradictory, and juries crave certainty. An expert who is willing to say, this is the way it is, will often seem more persuasive than an expert who says, I dont think we can say either way, even though the latter is often more accurate. DEA Imposter Tricked Woman Into Bogus Training Program, Feds Say Since the first fingerprint case in 1910, pattern matching analysts have given juries the certainty they crave. It wasnt until revolutionary DNA testing began in the early 1990s that we started to discover that such testimony was sending innocent people to prison. Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty Citing these and other studies, defense attorneys and reform advocates have asked judges to limit firearms analysts only to conclusions supported by science. For example, an analyst could say, I cant exclude the possibility that this particular bullet was fired by that particular gun, but they wouldnt be allowed to say this gun and only this gun could have fired that bullet. Until recently, judges routinely denied those requests. This brings us to conflict between law and science: Science is constantly changing and evolving with new evidence and new testing. The rule of law requires stability and predictability, which is why courts tend to rely on precedent. Because forensics was born out of law enforcement, not science, by the time scientists began disproving the core premises of various fields of forensics, those fields had already gained a foothold in the legal system. It takes a lot to overturn precedent. So most judges have taken the past of least resistance, and continue to allow those fields into evidence. Its only in recent years, and only because of DNA testing and the growing body of scientific research, that judges have become more skeptical of pattern matching forensics. The first shot across the bow came in 2009, when the National Academy of Sciences published the first comprehensive, scientific review of forensics, which found that analysts routinely give testimony unsupported by scientific research, even though its often presented to and perceived by jurors as science. In the wake of that study, the Obama administration created the National Commission on Forensic Sciences (NCFS), a large group of lawyers, scientists, judges, and statisticians tasked with identifying the shortcomings in forensic and prescribing solutions and best practices. Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty In 2016, the aforementioned presidential advisory group PCAST issued the most damning report on forensics to date, calling for outright prohibitions on fields like bite-mark analysis, and providing a scathing critique of other pattern-matching fields. The reaction to these reports from law enforcement officials has been derisive and defensive. When the PCAST report came out, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch abruptly dimissed it, declaring that the Justice Department will not be adopting the recommendations. Groups like the National District Attorneys Association attacked the scientists motives, and accused them of harboring a political agenda. Other defenders of the status quo have argued that only other forensic specialistsnot scientists or statisticiansare qualified to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of their peers, a claim akin to stating only tarot card readers are qualified to evaluate the scientific validity of tarot cards. If the Obama administrations approach to forensics was contradictoryit provided a platform for scientists to expose the problems, while its law enforcement leaders refused to do anything about themthe Trump administrations approach was to shut down the discussion altogether. One of the first acts of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions was to allow the NCFS charter to expire. Instead, Trumps DOJ announced it would be conducting its own internal review of federal forensic practices to give clear guidance to what the Departments forensics examiners may discuss in a courtroom. The Trump administration put a former prosecutor named Ted Hunt in charge of the review. Hunt is an outspoken defender of the status quo. He was one of just two members of the NCFS to vote against its recommendation that pattern matching analysts be prohibited from making claims to juries that arent backed by science. In the waning days of the Trump administration, a mysterious press release and paper appeared on the DOJ websiteboth unsigned but likely authored by Hunt. They essentially waved away the PCAST report as irrelevant and misguided and advised DOJ analysts to ignore it. The memo and paper were quickly denounced by groups like the Center for Science and Democracy and the Union of Concerned Scientists. But the Biden administration has yet to rescind or contradict the documents, so they remain the DOJs official position. Its in this context that we get the Agar document. Over the many decades in which police and prosecutors have benefited from judicial authority over the use of science in the courtroom, theyve welcomed and endorsed it. Now that scientists are finally breaking throughovercoming the hurdles of precedent and adversarial justicea high-ranking FBI official is no longer endorsing judicial authority, but offering strategies to undermine it. The Agar memo would be laughable if it was not so dangerous, says Carriquiry. His recommendation to examiners to push back and deny all possibility of errors or uncertainty runs contrary to science. Agar may well believe that forensic firearms analysis is scientific (neither Agar nor the FBI responded to requests for an interview). To be charitable, it may be that he isnt advising analysts to give testimony he personally knows to be untrue. What is true is that the overwhelming majority of the scientific community disagrees with him. If 99 percent of scientists believe theres no scientific basis to say this, but 1 percent say maybe there is, we cant let the state present it to a jury as if its just an honest disagreement among experts, says Yaroshefsky. At some point, you have to say okay, theres an overwhelming consensus here. Willful Ignorance The FBI and DOJ claim to run the most elite, scientifically sound crime labs in the world while, at the same time, refusing to open those labs to review by outside scientists. They want to tell jurors their forensics are science, but they dont want scientists scrutinizing their forensics. Agars handout makes clear that hes offering guidance to analysts on his own behalf, and not officially for the FBI or DOJ. But the fact that the attorney who advises the countrys premier crime labthe lab that often trains analysts in state crime labswould distribute such advice to hundreds of ballistics analysts ought to be alarming. Guns, Catfishing and Subterfuge: Is This the Most Bonkers Sheriffs Race in America? What Agar advises in the document is, at its core, no different than hair/carpet fiber and bullet composition scandals from the FBIs past. Now, as before, forensic analysts are corrupting trials by making statements to juries that, at best, are unsupported by scientific researchand, at worst, are contradicted by it. And now, as before, theyve been training and advising state and local analysts to do the same. But there is one importantand chillingdifference. Since the onset of modern DNA testing, the potential for a wrongful conviction due to faulty testimony from, say, a bite mark or hair fiber analyst is far less likely than it once was. Hair fibers typically contain DNA, and bite marks (if theyre real bite marks) typically include saliva. So in most of these cases, theres no need for a pattern matching analysis. Law enforcement officials can go straight to DNA. Even if they do turn to a forensic analyst, DNA testing will quickly contradict any analyst who gets it wrong. The blast radius of the DNA revolution should have hit all pattern matching fields, and called them into question. Instead, it was mostly limited to fields involving biological materialfields that DNA testing could directly disprove. Defendant Curtis Flowers stands at his bail hearing in Winona, Miss, on Dec. 16, 2019. District Attorney Doug Evans recused himself from the case on Jan. 6, asking the Mississippi attorney generals office to decide whether to try Flowers for a seventh time in a quadruple murder case. AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File But other fields, like ballistics matching, tire tread analysis, and shoe print analysis, are just as scientifically dubious and can be just as subjective and susceptible to cognitive bias as other pattern matching fields. Its a near-certainty that these too produce wrongful convictions. Even without DNA, we know forensic firearms analysts played a role in the wrongful convictions of Curtis Flowers in Mississippi and Patrick Pursely in Illinois. Bullets, of course, arent made of biological material, and shooting someone from a distance is unlikely to leave behind probative DNA. This means that for shootings, were far less likely to have the slam-dunk proof of a wrongful conviction the courts often require. This is probably why, despite the few rulings Agar laments in his handout, ballistics matching still retains more credibility with most judges than other pattern matching fields. It hasnt been proven wrong as often, not because it isn't just as flawed, but because the science-driven technology that has conclusively proven other wrongful convictions just isnt applicable in these cases. In the end, so long as high-ranking officials at agencies like the FBI continue to support and encourage unscientific testimony, the wrongful convictions will continue. Were just far less likely to ever find out about them. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) Actress Toni Gonzaga will not be returning as host of reality television program Pinoy Big Brother. In a statement on Wednesday, Gonzaga confirmed she is stepping down from the post after 16 years, as she thanked her colleagues for the countless memories. It has been my greatest honor to host PBB for 16 years, Gonzaga wrote on her social media account. I know Bianca (Gonzales) and the rest of the hosts will continue the PBB legacy. Gonzaga did not provide further details nor the reason behind her departure. In a separate statement, the PBB management said it respects Gonzagas move and likewise thanked her for delivering the stories of the housemates to viewers. On Tuesday, Gonzaga shot to the top trending topics on social media after hosting the proclamation rally of presidential candidate Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos and running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. Netizens particularly called her out after she introduced senatorial aspirant Rep. Rodante Marcoleta one of the lawmakers who voted to block the franchise renewal of broadcast giant ABS-CBN, where the actress works. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) Filipino-American musical director Troy Laureta showcases a different aspect of love in his latest project featuring LGBTQ+ artists Jake Zyrus and RuPauls Drag Races star Valentina. Zyrus and Valentina star in the music video for the cover of kundiman song Kung Kitay Kapiling, which is part of Lauretas album Giliw: A Troy Laureta OPM Collective Vol. 2. Kundiman is something that I always love and Kung Kitay Kapiling is super classic. It talked about a love, you know, wanting to be with someone until death and you know, loving them, Laureta told CNN Philippines New Day. I just really wanted it to be beautiful and with the video to showcase a different aspect of love that maybe the Philippines and Asia are not so used to, he added. Laureta also said that casting Jake Zyrus and Valentina shows that representation of the LGBTQ+ community matters. We wanted to showcase something not so typical. To have a transman and a non-binary queen like Valentina in this video, I think having that representation is super important, especially in these times, he said. Meanwhile, Zyrus said he felt comfortable working with Laureta as the producer is aware of what songs would fit his voice after his transition. Ever since I transitioned, I actually do enjoy singing these kinds of music. I feel like nung nag-transition din yung boses ko, comfortable akong kantahin itong mga awiting na ito. Talagang close po talaga siya sa heart ko, he said. I trust Troy, alam niya yung songs na babagay sa boses ko. [Translation: I feel like when my voice also transitioned, Im more comfortable to sing these kinds of songs. These are close to my heart. I trust Troy, he knows what songs would suit my voice. Valentina, on the other hand, is hoping that their collaboration project would help people appreciate diversity. I really would like this to be a performance and a poem to the world to show diversity and that we are here and that we matter, in a beautiful and sincere love story between two very diverse artists, she said. At his studio, Castro Smith is arched forward as he wields a burnisher in one hand, carving out lines that resemble bird feathers on a silver surface. On the other, he grips a rotating dome-like device that keeps the pendant in place. The subtle blue walls are lined with his tools pliers, hammers and pushers while his wooden desks are occupied by unfinished metal works-in-progress. The 32-year-old jeweler is best known for his signet rings. His most famous work features seal engravings of varying forms of skulls, ships and serpents amplified by different shades of gold, black rhodium, and silver. His background in painting and illustration surfaces in his work with intricate imagery of soaring ravens and fishes from folklore carved on the exterior of a ring. Castro Smith at work in his studio. Photo by JULI SUAZO The signet rings often sell out fast at Dover Street Market and have captured the attention of a long list of A-list celebrities such as Elton John, Jeremy Strong, and Anya Taylor-Joy, who have gone straight to Smith to commission pieces. Characterized by intricate and complex engraving, Smiths signet rings take somewhere between a day and a year to be finished. While he was born and raised in England, Castro says home is Nazareth, Cagayan de Oro. His Filipino heritage informs his style and approach. My grandmother was from a very strong religious background where they were taking demons out of each other, said Smith. Memories of his family spread out in Bohol, Siquijor, and Nazareth have shaped his perception of how things are. Half of my aunties dont want to question my other aunties because they believe theyre witches, he said. Complexities and details Smith picked up in his early childhood spent in the Philippines influences his art. Myths of aswangs, thats what I link to, said Smith. And bugs! Bugs make the planet go round. He has vivid recollections of giant tarantulas crawling between windows and metal meshes and cockroaches freely walking around. This fascination with insects and biology trickled down to his early encounters with drawing. As a kid, Smith used to draw his own card games by hand. I used to make my own mythical and magical creatures and characters. I drew my own kind of lands, worlds, and maps, he shared. The jeweler's most famous work features seal engravings of varying forms of skulls, ships and serpents amplified by different shades of gold, black rhodium, and silver. Photo by JULI SUAZO Smith confessed that his decision to learn traditional hand engraving wasnt intentional but rather fueled by the need to make a living. After working at different bars and clubs around Europe, he landed an apprenticeship at The Goldsmiths Company located in Londons jewelry district where he spent the next six months engraving every day. At the time, I was just taking any job that wasnt in a bar, said Castro. And I landed the job because I could draw. He then developed his skills by mastering intaglio seal engraving at Rebus Signet Rings, the UKs premier destination for finely crafted signet rings and personalized jewelery. And in 2017, he was awarded the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust scholarship which allowed him to travel to Japan. This was where he learned metal working, engraving, and patination under Japanese masters Hiroshi Suzuki and Kenji Io. Everything Castro knows about making jewelry he learned by observing. His early days in a studio were spent looking over the shoulders of experienced craftsmen as he cleaned the workshop, organized desks, and polished large sheets of metal in between. When he was able to join the Goldsmiths Guild of London, he underwent an apprenticeship that granted him more room to discover his style. I like things that are strange and awkward, said Smith. Its harder to express things in metal because the material is rigid, but it stays there and theres a deepness to it thats the advantage that whatever you carve in wont ever change. Mastering the technique of seal engraving carving in features and designs inward rather than traditionally outward lends timelessness to Smiths work and the promise that his pieces are made to last. Signet rings act as a defense to the detailed imagery, he said. Because it's inverted, the ring is protecting the image itself and it keeps its clear form. Smith dreams of returning to the Philippines where hes met kids whom he describes as ten times more talented than him at drawing and collaborating more closely with local craftsmen. Photo by JULI SUAZO The inversion creates shadows, said Smith. With my jewelry, its not about how shiny it is or how much it looks like bling. This jewelry speaks in the shadows and thats [what] I base my style on. For his bespoke commissions, the first step of the process is meeting the customer. Smiths schedule is filled with commissions from a diverse client pool spanning award-winning actors and best-selling authors to herbalists and heart surgery patients. He explained that most people contract him for personalized pieces after going through a traumatic event. In the other end of his clientele spectrum are people who want to commemorate themselves after going so far in their career, such as writing a book or completing a research paper. The initial conversation between Smith and his customer is woven with intimacy. Its a very cathartic process just to identify things you want to remember and share those memories that mean something, said Smith. I find that [bespoke signet rings] are always wrapped around identity. For his bespoke commissions, the first step of the process is meeting the customer. Smiths schedule is filled with commissions from a diverse client pool. Photo by JULI SUAZO Smith also believes the nature of signet rings are cyclical. When it comes to creating family rings apart from a list of symbols theyd like to engrave he requests clients for information surrounding important life events, childrens names, childrens dates of birth, and where the parents are from. Some things that when you write it all down, there is a cycle that speaks, he said. There is a story that speaks in itself and that way, this ring completes this family. A ring with micro diamonds for the Carbao eyes, mangoes in rose gold, and jasmine flowers and rice in white rhodium. Screencap from CASTRO SMITH/INSTAGRAM Once the client selects their desired metal shade and ring, they are then fashioned to the right size before the design is carved by hand. Whats unique to every purchase of a bespoke signet ring is that it comes with Smiths original sketches, birthed after the ideation phase. Through commissions from Filipino customers, Smith also develops a deeper understanding of his heritage and culture. He cites a ring remake project as an example a piece featuring carabaos with little micro diamonds for eyes, mangoes in rose gold, and rice in white rhodium. On the inside, Mahal in old Baybayin script is engraved. Smith dreams of returning to the Philippines where hes met kids whom he describes as ten times more talented than him at drawing and collaborating more closely with local craftsmen. Camiguin is my favorite place, he said. Id love to build a workshop there one day. *** Visit castrosmith.com for more information. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) The United States Embassy has denied the claim of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy's lawyer that the FBI wanted poster was timed to interfere with the results of the upcoming polls. "The FBIs release of a wanted poster for Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy follows a multi-year effort by law enforcement. It is unrelated to the Philippines ongoing presidential election campaign," US Embassy in Manila spokesperson Heather Fabrikant told CNN Philippines on Wednesday. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released on Saturday the "wanted" posters for megachurch leader Quiboloy and two other church members for sex trafficking charges. Quiboloy's legal counsel, Ferdinand Topacio, said the poster was released to the public because the elections are right around the corner. The televangelist recently endorsed presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos and his running mate Sara Duterte, and their senatorial slate. He is also the spiritual adviser and long-time friend of President Rodrigo Duterte. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) The Department of Health on Wednesday reported that the entire country is now at low to moderate risk for COVID-19, except for Soccsksargen, which remains at high risk. This was after the region registered a 56% two-week growth rate in cases, the DOH said. Last week, the department de-escalated the Philippines to the moderate risk classification following the drop in new infections. As of Wednesday, 16 out of the 17 regions nationwide are also at either low to moderate risk after recording negative growth rates in the past 14 days. "All regions reported fewer cases on Jan. 27 to Feb. 9 than on Jan. 13 to 26, except for Region 12 (Soccsksargen)," the DOH said. The department added that the total bed and intensive care unit utilization rates in all regions, including Soccsksargen, are currently at low to moderate risk. Based on the government's last update, the number of active cases in the country - or people currently sick with COVID-19 - dipped to 96,326. It's the first time in a little over a month that active infections were less than 100,000. New cases were at 3,651. The independent OCTA Research group said it expects daily COVID-19 infections to again drop to three digits by March. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) President Rodrigo Duterte has endorsed senatorial aspirant JV Ejercito, whom he called a "friend and a partner" of the administration. A video posted by Ejercito on Facebook on Wednesday showed Duterte urging the public to support his comeback in the Senate. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=510751887081192&id=100044391550884 "I endorse JV Ejercito as he runs for the Senate in the upcoming elections," Duterte said. "JV Ejercito has always been a friend and a partner for this administration in pushing for advocacies that advance our development agenda especially for the poor." "I know that he has always served our country and people with diligence and hard work," the President added. "I hope that you'll give him another chance to serve you." In his caption, Ejercito thanked Duterte for his kind words. He also said he is honored by the endorsement, and hopes this will help boost his numbers in Mindanao, particularly in the Davao Region. If Ejercito wins a Senate seat, he vowed to continue to push for some of Duterte's programs like healthcare and infrastructure development. In his interview with CNN Philippines' The Source on the same day, Ejercito thanked Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for mentioning his name in her proclamation rally. He also stressed his close ties with the President, with their friendship going way back when they were both mayors. "I have to be honest that I am quite closer to PRRD, the President," Ejercito shared. "When I was mayor, he was also mayor, that was when we forged a sisterhood city agreement between Davao and San Juan. So we go a long way back." Ejercito was San Juan mayor from 2001 to 2010. At the time, Duterte was the local chief executive of Davao City. Despite being part of three senatorial slates, Ejercito is not part of the Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte lineup. His brother Jinggoy Estrada is included in the ticket. The Estrada brothers lost in the senatorial race in 2019, with Ejercito placing 13th and Jinggoy ending up in 15th place. Aldar Properties (Aldar) has announced plans to invest AED1 billion ($272.2 million) into Aldar Education, its wholly owned subsidiary, and the largest premium school operator in Abu Dhabi. With 80 per cent of the investment already committed and planned for deployment over the next three years, Aldar will diversify its education portfolio and expand its offering to widen the choice of quality education for students in Abu Dhabi. Aldar Education currently owns nine schools under Aldar Academies and Cranleigh Abu Dhabi and manages a further 11 schools. Through this investment, Aldar aims to increase the existing student capacity in Aldar Educations owned and managed schools to over 40,000 seats by Academic Year 24/25. Aldar Education is looking to achieve this through a mix of greenfield and school acquisition opportunities in the premium and mid-market segments, all aimed at strengthening the choice and educational experience available to students in Abu Dhabi. On the announcement, Group CEO Talal Al Dhiyebi said: "Through the breadth and depth of our business, Aldar touches multiple aspects of life in Abu Dhabi, and it is our responsibility to ensure that we are making a positive impact on all communities in which we operate." "In this regard, Aldar Education is one of our most critical touch points with the community and we want to ensure that more families can benefit from the quality, innovative education we offer in our schools," he stated. "This latest investment will help us make notable progress in this direction and it also makes financial sense for a business that is of huge strategic importance to the Group," he added. Aldar Education CEO Sahar Cooper said: "We are excited about the prospect of this growth plan and the opportunities it will bring to Aldar Education. The education sector is going through constant change and development, and we are keen to remain at the forefront of those developments to provide our students with the best tools available to help them unlock their full potential." "This includes the digital transformation of our schools, further investment in EdTech, and the provision of more flexible and diverse education models that appeal to a wider range of families in Abu Dhabi," he stated. Aldars growth plan is focused on enhancing Aldar Educations offering in three main locations in Abu Dhabi: Khalifa City, Saadiyat Island and Yas Island. In Khalifa City, Aldar Education has agreed its first-ever school acquisition with the purchase of Al Shohub Private School, a British curriculum school that will enable the group to offer students an even greater choice of education. The acquisition will see Aldar Education continue to uphold the schools strong reputation within the market, while adding its expertise to enhance the educational experience for current and future students. Aldar is also expanding and relocating the Al Yasmina Academy in Khalifa City to consolidate its position as an outstanding rated British primary and secondary school campus in Abu Dhabi and meet the continued demand for places at the school. On Yas Island, where Aldar is launching and developing a range of new community developments, Aldar Education will deliver a new school within the Noya community located in Yas North. Set to become a leading British curriculum school, it will be operated by Aldar Academies and cater to the islands growing population. On Saadiyat Island, Aldar Education is expanding the award-winning and outstanding rated Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, which will increase the schools capacity and facilities as well as ensure it continues to offer a best-in-class educational experience with the latest innovations in immersive learning. Aldar will also develop another school under the Aldar Academies brand on Saadiyat Island that will cater to families in the surrounding communities that seek British curriculum education.-TradeArabia News Service Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of another brand of self-administered COVID-19 antigen test kit, this time manufactured by Getein Biotech, Inc. Ang naidagdag po doon sa Labnovation Technologies, Inc. na manufacturer at Abbot po ay yung tinatawag natin na Getein Biotech, Inc., ito po yung manufacturer. Pareho po silang self-antigen test kits, said FDA officer-in-charge Oscar Gutierrez in a public briefing on Wednesday. The Getein Biotech kit is called One Step Test for SARS-CoV-2 Antigen. [Translation: Aside from the Labnovation Technologies, Inc. and Abbot, we also approved the one from Getein Biotech, Inc. They are all self-antigen test kits.] The FDA earlier approved two other self-test kitsPanbio, which is manufactured by Abott, and the SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kit made by Labnovation Technologies, Inc. The kits can be used to detect SARS-CoV-2 antigen from nasal swab of probable COVID-19 patients, FDA said. The regulating body has also certified a total of 125 coronavirus test kits of different types so far, including RT-PCR, antibody, and antigen. The Department of Health advised that self-administered antigen tests are only for those exhibiting symptoms within seven days from their onset, if an RT-PCR test is not possible. The test is not ideal for close contacts or those with no symptoms. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) Iloilo City released new COVID-19 rules on Wednesday, scrapping the negative RT-PCR test result requirement and the mandatory quarantine policy for fully vaccinated individuals. Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Trenas issued Executive Order No. 015 on his official Facebook page. "However, fully vaccinated individuals must immediately isolate themselves once symptoms associated with COVID-19 develop and they shall submit themselves to NPS/OPS RT-PCR testing conducted by the USWAG Iloilo Molecular Laboratory at the Covered Gym, Lapaz Plaza," the order stated. These individuals must be under isolation as they await their test results. As for those who have yet to complete or receive their coronavirus shots, they must immediately undergo quarantine upon arrival in Iloilo City at its designated quarantine facilities. They may also opt to complete their quarantine at home as long as the premises have been assessed and approved by local health authorities. A free RT-PCR test will be conducted on the third day of their quarantine, the order added. For partially vaccinated and unvaccinated returning overseas Filipinos with travel history from countries under the "red" list are required to complete a 14-day home quarantine from the date of arrival, and must undergo RT-PCR testing on the fifth day. "This Executive Order shall take effect immediately until 11:59 p.m. of February 15, 2022 or until the said period is extended or lifted earlier per latest issuance of the IATF on the quarantine classification of Iloilo City," the order said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) Despite being a guest candidate for three senatorial slates, JV Ejercito admitted that not being part of the Bongbong Marcos-Sara Duterte tandem is a missed opportunity for him in this year's polls. "(Bongbong Marcos) is very close to me also, we belong to one circle of friends. That's why I really felt a little bad when I was not included," Ejercito told CNN Philippines' The Source on Wednesday. "But I am still happy I was mentioned during the rally so probably I am an option, if we want to put it." The son of former President Joseph Estrada emphasized his closeness to the junior of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. "We belong to one circle of friends, sila Inigo Zobel. We go a long way back, My father was one of the last men standing when the Marcoses left Malacnang when he was still mayor. My mother experienced tear gas during the height of the protest rallies during the Cory administration. We are good friends." The senate seat aspirant still expressed gratitude that his name was mentioned in yesterday's proclamation rally by Mayor Duterte, whom he also calls a good friend. After losing his bid in 2019, Ejercito is once again making an attempt to get a senate post as guest candidate of three different tandems in this ongoing election run, namely, Isko Moreno-Willie Ong, Manny Pacquiao-Lito Atienza, and Ping Lacson-Tito Sotto. As the campaign period for national candidates kicked off on Tuesday, Ejercito held his own motorcade in the morning and went to Imus, Cavite to show support for the Lacson-Sotto tandem. He is currently running under the Nationalist People's Coalition, with Sotto as the party president. Ejercito was also present in the Moreno-Ong pair's proclamation rally in Manila on Tuesday. Meanwhile, he sent a video greeting for supporters of Pacquiao's campaign in General Santos City. Ejercito admitted being "in a quandary" when asked who will he vote for, and opted to keep his options to himself. "Almost all of these presidential candidates have adopted me, I have worked with them, became my colleagues except Yorme Isko. But in spite of the falling out between him and my father in the past election, the respect has always been there," he bared. "I am in a quandary, a dilemma, you might say that. Its very difficult for me to make a choice." Ejercito's brother Jinggoy Estrada is part of the Marcos-Duterte ticket. Both of them lost in the senatorial race in 2019, with Ejercito placing 13th and Jinggoy ending up in the 15th spot. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) A health reform advocate and a research group have warned that campaign activities, like proclamation rallies, could easily become COVID-19 "superspreader" events. Dr. Tony Leachon on Wednesday said health protocols were unwittingly violated during some activities held on the first day of the campaign period. He said the improving situation in Metro Manila and the lowest number of new COVID-19 cases this year that was recorded on Tuesday could be negated if the violations continue throughout the 90-day campaign period. "The increased mobility may be a problem in terms of surges. Based on what we saw yesterday, some of social distancing measures and protocols have been inadvertently violated. This may be a concern," he told CNN Philippines. "This can be negated if the campaign period will usher in new cases because of mobility problem." Leachon likened it to the surge in India last year when restrictions were relaxed for campaign sorties and religious gatherings. He said the Philippines should be more careful so that it doesn't suffer the same fate as the election draws closer. He noted that surges are possible in areas outside Metro Manila, where the vaccination rate is not yet high, if campaign activities are not monitored more closely. He also pointed out that the rate of booster administration remains unsatisfactory at around 8 million compared to the 59.8 million Filipinos that have completed their primary COVID-19 vaccination. "Omicron would only respond to three doses. We will have a problem right now if we continue to do it," he added. OCTA Research fellow Guido David also said there is definitely a risk of campaign activities turning into a "superspreader" of the coronavirus, especially if people do not follow minimum public health standards and are not vaccinated. Given the risk, David said spikes in cases may happen, but not the same level as what was experienced in January since "we have attained some level of population immunity...but not everyone will have gained that immunity, so there will be some people who could get infected, and who could get hospitalized if they are not vaccinated." Overall, David said the "pandemic is definitely slowing down" in the country, and gone are the days of 10,000 to 30,000 cases a day. "We won't be seeing 10,000 cases anymore unless of course something drastic happens," he said on Tuesday. David also said they expect lower number of cases by next week, and about a thousand new infections nationwide by the end of February as long as current trends are sustained. In a briefing, Health Secretary Francisco Duque urged candidates, event organizers, and supporters to ensure that health and safety protocols are strictly observed when holding events. He said organizers and security personnel should make sure that social distancing is maintained and all attendees are screened for COVID-19 symptoms. "Kapag pinayagan kung sinu-sino na ang papasok, superspreader event sya. Ayaw naman natin mangyari 'yan," Duque warned on Tuesday. [Translation: If we allow anyone to come in and out of the rally venues, it could turn into a superspreader event. We don't want that to happen.] Presidential, vice presidential and senatorial bets kicked off their election campaign on Tuesday in different areas across the country, which drew tens of thousands of supporters. CNN Philippines' David Santos contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) The man linked to an alleged assassination plot against Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos claimed he did not make the post on TikTok. The National Bureau of Investigation held a briefing Wednesday with Ruel "Bong" Ricafort, who surrendered to authorities Tuesday. Accompanied by his counsel, Ricafort spoke during the briefing, saying while he had an account on the video-sharing app, he did not make the comment. He also said he did not know who made it. "We are starting to investigate. Sinasabi nito (Ricafort) hindi siya, ginawa lang siya ng TikTok account. That is something we need to prove... And as soon as we determine yung criminal liability we will definitely file (charges)," NBI Investigative Services Deputy Director Vicente de Guzman III said. [Translation: We are starting to investigate. He said it was not him and someone just made the TikTok account. That is something we need to prove... And as soon as we determine criminal liability we will file.] The NBI said it wants Ricafort and his counsel to submit the gadgets for forensic investigation and evaluation, and for Ricafort to undergo a lie detector test to "check the veracity of his statements and for possible neuropsychiatric evaluation." According to the NBI, Ricafort said there was no politics behind his surrender, and that he was not threatened to come out. During the briefing, the NBI said it was waiting for Ricafort's "final, voluntary statement." Victor Lorenzo, chief of the NBI's Cybercrime Division, said they would check whether Ricafort's statements would be in line their investigation. "Titignan namin kung doon sa mga nagaganap yung events, tutugma dun sa mga sasabihin niya just to substantiate yung allegation niya na hindi siya ang gumawa," he said. [Translation: We will see if his statement will be in line with the events just to substantiate that he did not do it.] The NBI said at the moment Ricafort is a person of interest. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier confirmed that Ricafort turned himself in to authorities. "The owner of the BBM death threat account voluntarily turned himself in to the NBI yesterday. He was advised to secure the assistance of counsel," Guevarra said. The post being discussed was made in January by an account with the username @joiedevivre420 and said: "Nagmemeeting kami araw araw para paghandaang ipa assassinate naming si BBM, humanda kayo." [Translation: We are meeting every day to prepare to have BBM assassinated, be ready.] Marcos' spokesman Vic Rodriguez said they will not be intimidated by the alleged threat. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 10) Two minors were killed after a firefight between government forces and communist rebels in Catubig, Northern Samar on Monday. The children were reportedly on their way home after gathering copra to be sold in the town proper when the encounter happened in Barangay Roxas. One of the minors died on the spot, while the other died at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital in Catarman on Wednesday. The 20-minute encounter also wounded a 26-year-old civilian, who is currently confined at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital. The Armed Forces of the Philippines has yet to issue a statement on the matter, but Col. Perfecto Penaredondo of the 803rd Brigade pinned the blame on the New People's Army for initiating the attack. Their gunfire could have killed the children since the kids were walking behind the troops on patrol, while on their way to the town, he told CNN Philippines. Penaredondo said a local unit of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, local officials and police are now investigating the incident. Military personnel involved will also cooperate in the probe. Local authorities also condemned the incident, and assured parents of the victims assistance. CNN Philippines David Santos and Wil Mark Amazona contributed to this report. (CNN) Donald Trump arguably built his winning bid for the presidency in 2016 around two basic themes: America First nativism and the allegation that Hillary Clinton broke the law with her emails. What follows him out of office are questions about whether he will face any consequences for his own mishandling of documents or, more importantly, for his effort to overturn the 2020 election he lost. More on that in a moment. The growing irony of Trump's "lock her up" chants. First, there's the fact that he taunted Clinton and threatened to "lock her up" for deleting emails when she served as secretary of state that should have been preserved. This could have taught him not to destroy documents. Then there's the fact that Clinton lost some credibility among voters for appearing to hide her emails on a private server. This could have taught Trump to preserve everything. Neither lesson was learned, according to two very interesting revelations about Trump's mishandling of documents and possible violation of the law during and after his time as President. Boxes of documents squirreled away at Mar-a-Lago. Fifteen boxes of documents improperly taken from the White House were recovered from Trump's Florida resort by the National Archives. Ripped-up documents. Trump, as President, routinely ripped up documents with his hands, ignoring the law about presidential records, only to have aides follow behind and tape them back together. Trump has been at odds with the National Archives. It rejected his claim of executive privilege and, after a court battle, turned over documents to the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection. The committee has received taped-together and torn-up documents from the National Archives. What did Trump keep? Among the documents which were previously in the White House residence, according to reports by CNN's Gabby Orr and The Washington Post are the letter former President Barack Obama left Trump at the White House in 2017 and letters to Trump from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump's representatives are still searching for additional missing documents, according to the National Archives. The document handover. No, the National Archives does not have a team of information agents. It was a "guy with a truck and work order" picking up the documents, a source told Orr, and the handover followed negotiations between the general counsel for the archives and Trump's attorneys. It's not clear, at least not yet, if any documents taken to Mar-a-Lago were technically classified although one can imagine his private correspondence with Kim, which Trump used to describe as "love letters," would fall into that category. Document shredding by hand. His reticence to give all his information to the National Archives is renewing interest in his tendency, throughout his presidency, to rip things up after looking at them. Orr talked to three former White House officials who "said the former President sorted through file boxes in a rather methodical way tearing up newspaper clippings or drafts of tweets that he had rejected and tossing them to the floor, or stacking papers he wished to hang on to in a disorderly stack atop his desk." Taking things from the National Archives is illegal. It has a curated list of prosecutions related to thefts of its documents. Most involve the sale of stolen items from World Series to World War II memorabilia on eBay. Thefts often lead to months or years behind bars. But there is also the case of Sandy Berger, the national security adviser under President Bill Clinton, who went to the National Archives multiple times in 2003, folded documents related to the millennium terror plot, put them in his suit pocket and walked out of the building. He said he wanted to prepare himself to assist with the 9/11 commission. Shredding evidence. In an echo of the actions undertaken by Trump, Berger cut up some documents with scissors. Read CNN's 2005 report. Berger cut a deal with federal prosecutors for a fine and community service. He died in 2015. There's little chance Trump will be prosecuted for this. Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin said Tuesday that he thinks Trump "violated the law" when, as President, he tore up documents in the White House and elsewhere. But he said "it's not likely" Trump will be prosecuted for violating the law designed to preserve presidential records. "I think it's a violation of the law. I don't know it it's ever been enforced on the President. I can understand in light of some of the things he said and done, why he wants to destroy the evidence," the Illinois Democrat told CNN. The Presidential Records Act was passed in the late 1970s, in the wake of the Watergate scandal, and has applied to every president since Ronald Reagan. It makes clear that presidential documents are public property, according to the National Archives. A very big deal. It is already hard enough to separate fact from fantasy when it comes to Trump, who has conjured an alternate reality where the 2020 election was stolen from him. This analysis is from CNN's Chris Cillizza: At every stage of his life, Trump has creatively edited the narrative to make himself look better. His many bankruptcies weren't failures, they were savvy business moves. His party's setbacks in the 2018 campaign were, actually, an upsetting of expectations and a victory. His botched handling of the coronavirus pandemic? He deserved more credit than he got. Riiiiight. When you combine that series of Trump traits, you see a) how difficult it will be for the National Archives to ever get a complete picture of the Trump presidency and b) why it is so, so important that it does everything in its power to do so. Fact vs. fiction and "legitimate political discourse." Trump's version of history has many adherents. No less than the Republican National Committee censured the two Republicans taking part in the House January 6 committee and referred to the events of that day as "legitimate political discourse." That term frustrated many Republicans who want the party to move on and focus on bread-and-butter issues before the midterm elections in November. RELATED: McConnell and McCarthy split over RNC censure resolution Calling the insurrection "political discourse" is also just wrong. "This phrase is an odd way to describe the actions of a mob that chanted 'Hang Mike Pence' as it clashed with police before breaking through the doors and windows of the Capitol in an effort to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election," writes the Columbia University research scholar Nicole Hemmer for CNN. A state case into election meddling. And that brings us to something Trump couldn't tear up or hide from view: the recording of him pressuring Georgia election officials to change the 2020 results in their state. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is looking into charges against people who meddled with election officials after the 2020 election. The probe was launched last year, according to CNN's Sara Murray and Devan Cole, following Trump's call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger in which he pushed the Republican to "find" votes to overturn the election results. "This is a criminal investigation. We're not here playing a game," Willis told CNN on Monday. "I plan to use the power of the law. We are all citizens." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Document shredding, Trump style." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) After showing admirable resilience in 2021, Globe Telecom says it aims to further bolster its network infrastructure with 89 billion in investments earmarked this year. With Typhoon Odette hitting Globe Telecom's revenue momentum in the last quarter of 2021, the Ayala-led telco still kept its sturdy financial position. In a disclosure Wednesday, the company said its core net income jumped 9% to 21.2 billion amid a pandemic-spurred surge in data use. Globe also reported its consolidated service revenues reaching 151.5 billion, 4% higher than the 146.4 billion a year ago. The figure also exceeded the group's 2019 pre-pandemic level by 2%. Hitting the record-high revenues, the telco giant said the solid performance of its home broadband and corporate data businesses also contributed to the topline. Both units posted double-digit growth, with the home broadband generating 29.4 billion, while its corporate data booked 14.2 billion. Globe's mobile business also maintained its strong numbers, improving by 1% from a year ago's 103.7 billion. Its subscriber base grew by 13% to 86.8 million in the period. Globe showed admirable resilience in 2021 despite the pandemic and the devastation of Typhoon Odette in the country. We have emerged to be an outstanding digital services enabler by rapidly adapting our strategies to address both the challenges and the opportunities created by the global health crisis and natural disasters," Globe president and chief executive officer Ernest Cu was quoted as saying in the filing. "As a result, our financial performance remained stable and posted healthy growth, enabling us to reinvest back into our network as customer data demands grow larger each year," Cu said. Cu said Globe coughed up a whopping 92.8 billion in capital expenditures last year. The top official said the group wants to maintain the momentum by spending 89 billion this 2022. "We are optimistic that our strategy to focus on innovation to serve our customers better and to address their needs and concerns through various digital platforms, backed by our strong network, will solidify our leading position in the market," Cu said. Editors note: Theres a renewed interest in On the Wings of Love thanks to Netflix, where the show has shot up to the Top 10 list. We revisit this behind the scenes look with the shows creative team and distill the unconventional approach that led to its success. This article originally appeared in the November 2015 issue of Rogue Magazine. No one in their right mind would name a food establishment after an inlet canal but apparently; Binondos Estero Fast Food is an actual thing. Devoid of fine china, cushioned seats, or a wait staff wearing starched uniforms, Estero Fast Food is a carinderia that houses several Chinese food stalls, next to an actual estero. They have all the yang chows, frog legs, and hot pots that can stretch your meager date budget; an ideal set up for a couple such as Nadine Lustres Leah and James Reids Clark, the doe-eyed leads of ABS-CBNs hit primetime series, On the Wings of Love. It is unlikely that youd find both of them here on a regular basis but today, a sweltering Monday morning, they are surrounded by a lean TV crew hankering to get their sequences done. You hear Quiet on the set! almost every ten minutes, even when the cameras not rolling, as a crowd slowly builds up. Office drones from the surrounding banks and offices are getting out for their lunch hour. It was already 11:30 a.m. and the place will soon be packed with curious and hungry people, looking to take photos of and with the two actors. Antoinette Jadaone, one of the shows two directors, is fussing around the small table where Leah and Clarks date is taking place. Lustre, in a short white dress, and Reid, in jeans and a checkered shirt, are talking to Jadaone, who is clutching her own bottle of Coke and a pastry, probably fuel for the rest of their 20-hour shoot. She instructs Lustre to burp loudly, to which Clark would later respond with both slight disgust and fascination. On the table is a spread of dishes frog legs, chicken, pancit, etc. that the couple would consume. Later, as the actors are in the safety of their tents, Jadaone would meticulously craft a top shot of the table with the food slowly being whittled down into leftovers. Afterwards, they have a 30-minute lunch break before they head to the next location. People are gathered outside Lustre and Reids tent, trying to hand their phones to some of the crew members milling around, hoping theyd be kind enough to take photos for them. *** On the Wings of Love is, foremost, a rom-com. Leah, flies to San Francisco, pursuing her American Dream and perhaps retrace her late mothers steps. Clark, has been working in San Francisco and, one fateful day, bumps into Leah. The usual hateship-loveship ensues. The two eventually become locked in a green card marriage, but destiny, or actually in this case, the showrunners, have bigger things in mind. Their relationship shuttles from the Bay Area to Manila Bay, with a few bumps along the way, one of which is Leahs ex-boyfriend Jigs (Albie Casino in a breakout role), who actually travels to San Francisco to win her back. On paper, this whole scheme sounds like your tired and typical teleserye formula. But On the Wings of Love, from the beginning, has been aware of genre conventions that they are trying to break. Yung rom-coms, for me, its a genre [about being] real. Siyempre may mga blown up story lines pero kung papasok ka sa sobrang real na pwedeng mangyari sa totoong buhay, parang rom-com yun, says Jadaone, who confesses that she is one to obsess about the authenticity of the story and the characters in her films. But On the Wings of Love, sets itself apart from its primetime brethren by being a character-driven show rather than a plot driven one, where conventional villains conspire hardships and bust out kidnapping tactics for the hapless damsel and her prince. We try to veer away from cliches, headwriter Benedict Mique says. Minsan, sasalubungin mo, pero most of the time, [youll get the feeling na] Tsk. Masyadong soap [opera] eh. An example of a non-cliche trope is Jigs, a foil originally poised as the resident villain but has transformed into a lovable dork whose temper tantrums have earned him his own following. During a recent fans day, Casino would even play up his role, taunting James Reids standee onstage as if to finally wrest Leah out of Clarks cardboard hands right then and there. Hindi ko inexpect yung reaction nila kay Jigs, Jadaone says. Okay yung pagkasulat ng writers sa [On the Wings of Love] kasi yung kontrabida wala yung pinanganak na masama. Usually sa [ibang soaps] masama lang talaga siya. Pero yung characters dito, kung meron mang masamang tao, meron silang pinanggagalingan bakit ganun yung decisions nila. Like in real life, wala naman yung papatayin ka na lang. There were a few things considered while laying the foundations of the show. One: it still has to be family-oriented, hence, there are situations such as Leah working abroad to support her family and Clarks building debt. Second: it has to carry JaDines trademark of kooky-kilig. Jadaone perfectly fit this bill, mastering a new approach on romantic comedies after a string of successes such as Relaks, Its Just Pag-ibig and the runaway hit, That Thing Called Tadhana. Third: it has to depict the lives of Filipino workers abroad. Much like Jadaones pursuit of realism, the shows writing team took great lengths in ensuring the depiction of Filipino workers in the story is authentic. Nakakatakot naman na hindi kami mag-research kasi napapanood yan ng mga OFWs sa ibang bansa, so we have to be accurate, explains writer Mariami Tanangco-Domingo. Yung details, nakipag-usap kami sa mga kamag-anak naming na sa America specifically para yung mga experience nila, mag-echo doon sa lumalabas [sa show]. Kasi kung Hindi naman nangyayari yan. Ay, hindi naman totoo yan eh. Diba? Wala naman sa amin ang naging OFW. Its also unusual to have twenty-something leads playing migrant workers in a primetime series. Audiences are used to having their heroes without the weighty economic baggage, their employment concerns only secondary to their stories. But to make lives for themselves in another country, things begin to become more complicated. When we first meet Clark, he is juggling several jobs and is constantly pursued by a loan shark, from which he borrows money for his brothers tuition fee. Leah and Clarks situations are grounded in realities of Filipinos abroad, the kind of stories you hear from your tita or your neighborhoods mother-in-law a semblance that has made the show relatable not only to the love teams followers. Putting Lustre and Reid in a character-driven show could have been a recipe for disaster. "On the Wings of Love" is Lustre and Reids first teleserye. The JaDine team-up is only a year old. Prior to this, they have only starred together in three films. A teleserye relying on its lead requires immersion from its actors: they will have to inhabit their parts for several months, unlike in films where they only have a few short weeks to sink under the skin of their respective roles. Every character has to be as relatable as possible, says co-director Jojo A. Saguin. Every audience should connect with them. Yung lahat would say Ay, ako yan!, May kakilala akong ganyan or Nangyayari sa amin yan eh. Lustre and Reid admit that they have been too attached with their characters, to the point that Lustre has been empathizing with Leahs struggles even after the cameras have stopped rolling. Her fans were recently concerned when she posted an image on her Instagram account with a caption that read: I can't sleep, I can't concentrate, I can't even think straight. I am a mess. I'm coming apart at the seams and it scares me. Lustre admits to feeling uneasy since her character recently found out something about her mother. Simula yung nangyari yung eksena na yun naging affected ako, she tells Jadaone during the shoot. Kahit wala ako sa set. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? Parehas. Heath Ledger na 'to! (Laughs) Pero wag naman sanang umabot sa ganong point. Reid, too, admits being frustrated with Leah, after all the effort hes gone through to win her over. Lea is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle. It makes no damn sense to me, to Clark. Me, I understand where shes coming from, but me as Clark Im just like (Sighs), he tells Lustre and Jadaone. The director, though, sees this as a good thing. They get the story. The story is two strangers na magpapangap na mag-asawa. Feeling ko bilang open minded sila as people as actors actually Si Nadine and James are very collaborative, hindi sila yung parang pagtinignan nila yung isang eksena, gagawin na lang nila. Direk I wont say this [referring to his character] si James yun. Para sa akin, as a director, sobrang saya ko na ganun yung actors ko hindi yung alam mo na hindi ito raket lang. Inaalagaan nila yung characters nila. Kasi kung raket lang ito for them, they wont care, Jadaone says. On the Wings of Love is a show that takes monumental collaboration, from the writers floor, to the production crew on set, to the actors themselves. On the Wings of Love is a show that takes monumental collaboration, from the writers floor, to the production crew on set, to the actors themselves. The kilig factor can be relatively easy if you have actors with indelible chemistry. But making the audiences watch and actually care for them past their romantic inclinations, is another thing altogether. It seems that the show has hit a sweet spot among the viewers. Merchandise has been sold out, from pillows, scrapbooks, to shirts; it consistently ranks among the trending topics on Twitter; and it spans a larger demographic than the usual rom-com audience. The writers cite a recent outcome study with responses from young professionals, maton husbands, and 70-year-old lolas. The trick, it seems, is to end the day it airs around 9:30 p.m. on ABS-CBN with a lighter material, none of the melodrama and mistress snagging that has plagued primetime TV for several years. Personally, I want to sleep with a smile on my face hindi yung galit ka dahil ang bigat nitong ginawa [nitong character na to], na pumapatay. (Laughs) I think its still the kilig, shares Reggie Amigo, the shows creative manager. I guess it never leaves no matter how old you are kasi; not that kinikilig sila kay James and Nadine at crush nila. I guess its the feeling you sell the feeling of the romance and they remember it. Its the memories that they have siguro stored long ago, nag-resurface tapos ang saya ng buhay, ang saya ma-in love. Ang saya! Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) The province of Cebu is set to reopen its doors to foreign nationals regardless of their vaccination status. Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia on Wednesday issued an executive order allowing the entry of tourists even if they are unvaccinated, beginning on March 1. Under the directive, foreign nationals who have yet to get their COVID-19 shots shall be subject to three requirements: they should present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin; they should be swabbed upon arrival at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport; they should undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of their second RT-PCR test result taken on the fifth day Unvaccinated foreign nationals are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated during their stay in Cebu. The single dose Janssen vaccine shall be made available by the Department of Health (DOH) for unvaccinated foreign nationals, Garcia wrote in her order. It remains unclear if the government will shoulder the inoculation expenses. In a separate text message, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center, said this was still being discussed with the regional DOH. The Cebu provinces move, however, is contrary to the Inter-Agency Task Forces resolution which only allows the entry of foreigners who are fully vaccinated. READ: PH reopens for tourism, business travel to fully vaxxed from non-visa required countries starting Feb. 10 CNN Philippines has reached out to the DOH for comment on the matter. Stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report. Dubais Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) today (February 9) signed three agreements to boost public transport solutions and services on the sidelines of the Mena Transport Congress and Exhibition 2022. The first one was signed with Nakheel to provide payment services via nol card at the Palm Monorail train stations in the Palm Jumeirah. The deal was signed by Mohammed Al Mudharreb, CEO of Corporate Technology Support Services Sector, RTA, and Omar Khoory, Nakheel Chief Hospitality and Assets Officer. The agreement enables the use of the nol card at the Palm Monorail train stations and availing the monorail service at the Palm Jumeirah. "The signing of the agreement with Nakheel signals our keenness to enhance the customer experience in using various means of transportation, by providing diverse and smart options for them in paying fares," said Al Mudharreb. Khoory said Palm Monorail, the first and only mobility service of its kind in the Middle East, confirms Nakheel's commitment to enhancing mobility between major destinations on the Palm Jumeirah, besides providing convenient solutions to its customers. "The Palm Monorails trip from The Palm Gateway to Al Ittihad Park, Nakheel Mall, Atlantis and The Pointe offers visitors an experience to savour the stunning views of the Palm Jumeirah and its scenic landscape," he added. The second was inked with Dubai Investments Park to enhance the operation, maintenance and development work within the protected zone of Route 2020 of Dubai Metro. "This agreement ushers a new era of cooperation between our company and RTA to streamline and operate the protected zone of Route 2020 of the Dubai Metro to bring it in line with the top international standards," remarked Abdul Mohsen Ibrahim Younes, CEO of Rail Agency, RTA, after signing the deal with Omar Al Mesmar, General Manager at Dubai Investments Park. "The signing of the agreement stems from a solid strategy of the Dubai Investments Park to pursue a futuristic vision that contributes to advancing Dubai's profile as a global destination," added Al Mesmar. The third was signed remotely with CRRC Zhuzhou in China, to study the feasibility of developing a technological system for the Dubai Tram. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has been removed from the senatorial slate of presidential candidate Senator Ping Lacson and running mate Senate President Tito Sotto. Bautista told CNN Philippines on Wednesday that he only learned of his removal through news reports after the Lacson-Sotto tandem confirmed it to the media earlier in the day. "Nakita ko nalang doon sa news account today," he said in a phone interview. "I guess hindi lang sila nakasulat kaagad kasi [they just weren't able to immediately notify me through a letter because] all of us are busy." Bautista said he earlier sent a letter informing Lacson and Sotto that he has been endorsed by their political rivals - presidential bet Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos and vice presidential hopeful Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. He added he sent both senators another letter a few days back asking if he may represent the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) in the Marcos-Duterte UniTeam. Bautista said as far as he knew, there was no formal interparty agreement between Lacson's Partido Reporma and Sotto's NPC. While surprised with Lacson and Sotto's decision, Bautista clarified he harbors no ill feelings towards them. He added he is "very thankful" that they included him in their Senate ticket, "though it was short-lived." The former mayor said he can now "openly and freely" campaign for the Marcos-Duterte tandem. Bautista opted to join their proclamation rally in Bulacan on Tuesday. CNN Philippines Correspondent Eimor Santos contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) Presidential candidate and labor leader Leody de Guzman said his team is already working with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to settle the possible election offense that arose from his proclamation rally. "Inaayos na ng aming mga lawyers sa pangunguna ng Partido Lakas ng Masa yan... Rest assured na tinatrabaho na ng aming team para harapin at ipaliwanag, ayusin yung problemang kinaharap namin kagabi," he said during a forum on Wednesday. [Translation: Our lawyers through the leadership of the Lakas ng Masa Party are already fixing that... Rest assured that our team is already working on facing the consequences and explaining our side regarding the problem we faced last night.] The labor leader held his proclamation rally at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City despite the lack of a special permit. READ: Leody de Guzman pushes through with campaign rally despite no permit A Comelec official said Tuesday the move is an election offense, which may be punished through a fine, imprisonment of one to six years, or even disqualification from the May polls. "Definitely it is an election offense because the requirement is they need to seek a permit first before conducting a campaign so it is an election offense," said Elaiza Sabile-David, director of the poll body's Education and Information Department. During an interview with CNN Philippines' Politics as Usual, De Guzman's campaign manager Sonny Melencio admitted there was a "misunderstanding." He also apologized for the camp's "lapses". The presidential hopeful noted COVID-19 protocols were observed during his proclamation rally. He said his team will soon be holding sorties in Central Visayas and Mindanao. CNN Philippines Correspondent Crissy Dimatulac contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) The Department of Health on Wednesday announced 3,651 new COVID-19 infections, while the countrys active case tally dipped to below 100,000. The bulletin showed the number of Filipinos currently sick with the virus is now at 96,326, the first time in a little over a month or since Jan. 7 that it fell to a five-digit figure. It makes up 2.7% of total cases, which have climbed to 3,623,176. According to DOH, 12,834 more people were cleared of the infection, bringing total recoveries to 3,472,160. There were also 69 more deaths, 25 of which occurred this month. Thirty-six were from January, while the other eight were late reports from March to October 2021. These raised the death toll to 54,690. Of the newly confirmed cases, the DOH said 95% were detected within the last 14 days. Western Visayas was the top contributing region with 523 infections, overtaking Metro Manila which came second with 484. Calabarzon logged the third highest increase at 414. The nationwide positivity rate, meanwhile, was at 16.5%, based on 29,970 coronavirus tests reported to the government on Feb. 7. This refers to the percentage of infected people out of all tested. Three testing laboratories failed to send their reports on time, the department said. It noted these three contributed an average of 0.8% of samples tested and 0.9% of positive results in the last two weeks. After final validation, the DOH removed from its case count 105 duplicate entries and three cases found to have tested negative. It added that 49 cases it mistakenly declared as recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 9) Presidential candidate Ernesto Abella kicked off his proclamation rally and caravan in Cavite City on the second day of the campaign period, stressing his vision for a "brave new Philippines." Abella, among the less-known presidential aspirants, said that while he is not a politician who has the machinery to fund a well-oiled campaign, he believes it is, in his own words, "God's long-time calling for him" to run for the highest elective position. The former evangelical pastor held his proclamation rally at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary. True to his roots, his event resembled a church service, which opened with a prayer and a medley of gospel songs. Abella said he didn't spend for the event, which according to him further prove that a campaign can be sustained without a big budget as long as there are supporters believing in his cause. The presidential candidate who previously served as President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesperson said he can be the option of voters who are still undecided and those who want a leader with integrity. "Hindi ako politiko pero naniniwala akong pwedeng magkaroon ng bagong Pilipinas. I honestly don't know how I'm going to win, but let it be. Naniniwala ako na may tao diyang hindi pa decided at meron silang hinahanap," Abella said. "Naniniwala akong maraming naghahanap ng tunay na pagbabago. People are looking for righteousness, peace, and joy." [Translation: I am not a politician but I believe we can create a new Philippines. I honestly don't know how I'm going to win. I believe there are undecided voters out there and they're looking for someone. I believe many want real change.] Abella is also pushing for the creation of a "national volunteers corps" where adults are urged to dedicate one or two years of their lives to serve the country. He said this move will reignite the Filipinos' sense of nationalism. If he wins, he said he will push to improve tax collection and ensure no Filipino goes hungry. He said he has prepared his economic agenda, but he did not discuss it during the event. "Hindi ang laki ng GDP ang sukat, ang sukat ay walang matutulog na Pilipino na gutom. Ito ang ating ninanasa," he said. [Translation: It's not about how high the GDP is. But the idea that no Filipino will sleep hungry. This is what we want.] Speaking to CNN Philippines, he said one of the ways his government would boost the economy is by reopening schools that would open doors even for small businesses. He would also work and push for laws that would support sectors like tourism to help bring back jobs lost over the past two years. Abella also noted during the event that he will continue the programs of the Duterte administration but with additional emphasis on positioning the Philippines as an "agricultural powerhouse." "Ang mga magsasaka ay hindi kailangan mawalan ng pag-asa. Naniniwala ako hindi kailangan ibenta ng mga magsasaka ang kanilang lupain upang gawing subdivision. Pwede tayo magpakain ng ibang bayan. I believe that can happen when our people learn righteousness and support one another." [Translation: Farmers don't need to lose hope. I believe they do not need to sell their land to be turned into subdivisions. We can feed other nations.] Abella also told CNN Philippines he will also push for a more active participation of civil society, especially when it comes to local leadership. They will serve as an additional eye to look after the day-to-day activities at the local level, he added. The presidential bet also said he will ensure his Cabinet officials have the skills, energy, and integrity to lead. Asked whether he will reappoint some of Duterte's appointees, Abella said he will if they "fit the job." When it comes to fighting illegal drugs, Abella said he would continue the same campaign by implementing it in a manner that is less dramatic but equally firm. The World Bank Group has hailed Saudi Arabia's efforts to develop the education system and its remarkable success in the digital and distance education during Covid-19 pandemic, a media report said. The Kingdom utilizes alternative solutions and digital technologies to continue the educational process at all levels of education, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA). In its report titled "Saudi Arabias Digital and Distance Education .. Experiences from the Covid-19 Epidemic and Opportunities for Improving Education", the World Bank Group highlighted the Saudi Ministry of Educations keenness to improve its educational tools and services, through continuous follow-up of user data on its electronic educational platforms, lauding the virtual school model launched by the Ministry of Education since the beginning of the 2020-2021 academic year. The report hailed the outcomes of innovation and creativity of this virtual model at all levels, particularly among male and female teachers, pointing out that this experience contributed to building early awareness about the importance of using educational technologies to support and enhance the teachers and students educational experiences, as well as finding new ways and methods of communication. The World Bank reviewed the experience of the Kingdom and the Ministry of Education's efforts, which extended from the kindergarten stage to the secondary stage, including views of school principals, teachers, students, parents and supervisors in schools. The report affirmed that the employment of technical solutions and the availability of digital resources and tools supported a continuation of the education journey in the Kingdom, as 89% of teachers believe that they were able to teach all or almost all of the lessons assigned to them, while 98% of teachers find that the Madrasati "My School" platform is useful even after the pandemic. On the other hand, 94% of parents expressed that their children benefited from the digital tools through distance learning. The World Bank indicated the effectiveness of distance education in building technological skills, digital literacy, and independent learning skills, in addition to digital rules of conduct and time management, pointing out that e-learning in the Kingdom, despite the challenges and exceptional circumstances imposed by the pandemic, witnessed a high interaction at the level of teachers and students. About 59% of the teachers found the problem of poor internet connection, which constituted an obstacle to accessing the virtual classroom. Sabic, a multinational chemical manufacturing company, has signed an agreement to renew cooperation with the Higher Institute of Plastic Fabrication (HIPF) to train Saudis in the field of plastic manufacturing. The agreement was signed recently during a graduation ceremony of the trainees at the Institute's headquarters in the Second Industrial City in Riyadh. Abdulaziz Al-Oudan, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, signed the agreement on behalf of Sabic, and Dr. Dr. Abdullah bin Mastoor Al Marzouq, Vice Governor for Training Policies and Quality, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, signed on behalf of HIPF, in the presence of several leaders from both sides. HIPF will provide a two-year vocational training programme (an average of two training semesters per year) to 300 high school graduates in each training semester during the term of the agreement. The programme focuses on developing skills and capabilities necessary for plastic industries under the supervision of Japanese experts. The agreement reaffirms Sabic's continued commitment to supporting the national workforce and developing local content to enhance the current and future opportunities in the industry locally. It will help create job opportunities, promote innovation and advance industrial production to achieve the goals of Vision 2030. Over the past three years, the agreement helped create 637 job opportunities for national competencies out of 900 jobs supported by Sabic in 43 local companies through the Training-Based Employment program implemented by the HIPF. - TradeArabia News Service Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) and Mediclinic Middle East, which operates seven hospitals in the UAE, have renewed their affiliation with focus on expanding education in medicine and health. The renewed, five-year Master Affiliation Agreement includes a robust governance framework with a board comprising members from both entities and a joint academic council with a subcommittee structure now made up of seven specialised committees instead of one. The renewed affiliation commits to closer cooperation and coordination to create an optimum environment for our learners to provide the best education, training, and community engagement opportunities as well as heightened pro-activity in research, innovation, and health sciences development, explained Dr Amer Sharif, Vice Chancellor, MBRU. These new committees will enhance our joint effort to advance education in dentistry, nursing and midwifery, and other health disciplines. In addition, new committees will be established to support lifelong learning for health professionals, as well as research and innovation, he added. The partnership will explore potential funding sources to support the goals of this affiliation; providing provisions to finance research grants, postgraduate medical education programmes and scholarships as well as joint clinical or community service initiatives such as organ transplantation. Mediclinic has committed to providing extensive hands-on and clinically supervised training for MBRU medical students since 2016 and this agreement marks the beginning of a new era for expanding training opportunities across the broad spectrum of health disciplines and enhancing the outcome of care through professional development programmes, research, and innovation. David Hadley, Chief Executive Officer of Mediclinic Middle East, said: MBRU is a trusted and valuable strategic partner of Mediclinic Middle East, and it is our privilege to be able to continue to work with them. This expanded Master Affiliation Agreement enables Mediclinic Middle East to support, even more comprehensively, the UAEs long-term vision of training the next generation of doctors and medical professionals for the challenges posed by the ever-evolving healthcare landscape.-- TradeArabia News Service MarineTraffic, the worlds leading provider of ship tracking information and maritime analytics, has partnered with maritime data specialists Signal Ocean to provide vessel valuations on its platform. MarineTraffic users will now see Signal Oceans estimated value of the ship when viewing the vessels details. This live and historical data, which is updated weekly, is derived from recent transactions and a sophisticated algorithm which takes in a range of data points including the vessels age, shipyard built, size, equipment or refits. The service will initially be available for tankers >25,000 DWT and dry bulk carriers >20,000 DWT. The move is part of the MarineTraffic 2022 strategy to broaden the data available on its platform to its professional users and build a hub for the maritime industry. Since its launch in 2007, MarineTraffic has brought shipping movements to the world: the service currently has three million subscribers and achieves an average of six million visits to its website every month. Welcoming the partnership, MarineTraffic Chief Executive Dimitris Memos said: Additional data over the ships voyage or lifetime are critical to our millions of users.. Our vision is to leave no waters uncharted and provide more information via our platform than ever before. We will be announcing further significant enhancements to MarineTraffic in the coming months. Signal Ocean Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships, David Watts said: The data we provide on the Signal Ocean Platform and by way of APIs is popular with professionals looking for independent and accurate insight into the current values of fleets or individual vessels. Were excited to see our data available on such a popular site. In 2021 Chinese dry bulk port congestion helped drive freight rates upwards, lifting sale and purchase transaction volumes and the average value of dry bulk carriers. In January 2022, Signal's benchmark assessment for a 5-year-old capesize bulk carrier was up 37% vs January 2021. Tanker valuations over the past 12 months have seen an accelerated drop in values, although the New Year started on an upward trend.-- TradeArabia News Service India Innovation Hub, a project of the India Pavilion at Expo2020 Dubai, and Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the integrated freezone technology park, joined hands as they signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to support the startup ecosystem in both countries. As part of the engagement, unicorns from India will be brought to Dubai where DSO will host Elevate sessions, a flagship investor pitching series of the India Innovation Hub. The announcement was made at the tenth edition of the Elevate series, hosted at Dubai Silicon Oasis, where Indias startup and entrepreneurial ecosystem displayed its ability once again as 50 startups showcased a range of innovative business ideas to global investors. The event was attended by Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner-General for India at Expo 2020 Dubai; Dr Juma Al Matrooshi, Director General, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Ghanim Al Falasi, Senior Vice President of Technology and Entrepreneurship, Dubai Silicon Oasis alongside other senior officials from both parties. Startups from industries such as healthcare, fintech, F&B, energy, space, software as a service (SaaS), logistics, and technology among others presented their ideas to the global investors at the popular pitching series supported by HSBC. Sujeet Kumar, Co-Founder of Udaan, which is India's largest B2B Platform for businesses & shop-owners and one of the fastest Indian tech startups to reach the Unicorn status shared his entrepreneurial journey with the startups on how they build Udaan from an idea to a successful business and how his company is helping small businesses by providing them with a suitable platform and an opportunity to grow as entrepreneurs. Addressing the session, Dr Puri expressed delight at being a part of this LoI signing ceremony between DSO, India Innovation Hub and Consulate General of India in Dubai. "India has emerged as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem with over 40 Indian start-ups joining the Unicorn Club in 2021. "This success is a testament to our Honble Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of a self-reliant and self-confident India." He also reiterated PM Modis statement that Indias data and demographic dividend combined with the country's proven tech prowess will make this decade the country's Techade. The Indian Prime Minister had recently declared January 16 as National Start-up Day and called start-ups the backbone of new India. "The UAE has an immense focus on supporting innovation and attracting global talent. We will engage some of the key Indian startups to come and use Dubai as a base for their global expansion. Going ahead, India and the UAE will work closely to foster innovation as well as nurturing new talent," stated Dr Puri. On the growing partnership between India and Dubai in the startup domain, Dr Matrooshi said: "We are delighted to expand our collaboration with the India Innovation Hub, following a delegations visit to DSO and Dtec earlier this year and a mutual commitment to support tech-focused startups in both countries." "The UAE and India recognize the key role of startups and SMEs in the nations economies and are keen to support their establishment and development. In line with the goals of the National Entrepreneurship Agenda, to transform the UAE into The Entrepreneurial Nation and become home to 20 unicorns by 2031, DSO is partnering with the India Innovation Hub to host the Elevate pitch series and welcome promising Indian entrepreneurs looking to expand their operations," he added. Delivering the keynote address, Sujeet said the 50 startups that showcased their work are truly promising, and the ecosystem is very welcoming and supporting. "This is a key platform for them to pitch their ideas, attract investments, network with like-minded individuals, and get constructive feedback that will help them further develop their offerings. I urge the entrepreneurs to keep up their hard work and focus on the prize," he noted. Some of the Indian startups that presented their business ideas include, PrognoAdvisor, an early-stage fintech startup providing financial wellness for corporate employees; Kalki Ecosphere, a startup working towards sustainable solutions as alternatives to single-use plastic bottled water and EXPRESSbase, an open-source, low-code platform for fast-growing SMEs and Governments to build internal process apps among others. Startups from Dubai, who participated at the session include QQ Technologies, worlds first satellite cellular 5G IoT operator that provides global cellular Internet of Things(IoT) and Machine to Machine (M2M) communication solutions through satellites; FreshNow, which aims to offer fruit juices at its freshest form by reducing production to consumption time and ensuring zero wastage and Gameblar, a multiplayer gaming platform for casual intellectual games in the play-2-win sector, among others. SurveySparrow from California (US) also presented a cloud-based experience management platform that helps brands refine experiences at every touchpoint. The India Pavilion recently accomplished an important milestone by showcasing more than 250 startups since the inception of the pitching series. The next Elevate session is scheduled on February 17.-TradeArabia News Service Adfolks, a UAE-based engineering services firm, announced that it has seen a 300% increase in cloud consumption by companies in the UAE and wider GCC region since 2020. This is at a time when Gartner has forecast that the end-user spending on public cloud services in the Mena will total $5.7 billion in 2022. CIOs have started to leverage the power of cloud for better efficiency, security, and faster return on investments. Adfolks, a 5-year-old tech venture supports digitally forward-thinking enterprises including Dubai Airports, DP World, Mashreq, Emaar, Arab National Bank among several others to deliver market differentiation through smart technology solutions powered by cloud-based technologies. We have constantly generated awareness on the importance of cloud adoption within the tech community in the UAE. The potential of cloud is massive and based on our own findings, currently, CIOs in the region have just skimmed the surface. We strongly believe that organisations in GCC can immensely benefit and race towards a positive ROI by utilising the power of cloud. We frequently run cloud assessment modules for enterprises on their legacy systems and help them make informed decisions on integrating cloud within their IT strategy. Adfolks over the years has enabled the CIOs in GCC to put a roadmap with immediate and long-term goals by adjusting the variables as per the need, for instance, scale, cost and licensing, stated Arun Mohan, CEO of Adfolks. The company works closely with CIOs to chart their digital transformation journey and focuses on building internal capabilities around upcoming tech trends. These areas are prudently chosen with close collaboration with platform providers in the cloud space. When Microsoft started providing Azure cloud services in the region, cloud wasnt a core component in the IT strategy for most enterprises. Skillsets in the market for all aspects starting with advocacy, training, consulting, and actual delivery, and managed service were limited in the early days. With cloud adoption gaining momentum in the region, the case for digital transformation has never been more urgent. Strategic partners like Adfolks LLC not only bring together the power of Azure with their services and infrastructure expertise but also help enterprises in the region develop resilience and transformation while ensuring stringent compliance and regulatory guidelines. Microsoft has pledged to invest $20 billion over the next five years in cybersecurity, quadrupling its previous annual investment, stated Yvonne Chebib, Global Partner Solutions Lead, Microsoft UAE. Organisations in the Mena region have started migrating their on-premises IT infrastructure deployments to SaaS, IaaS and PaaS cloud environments. Some of the benefits of this migration include anywhere-anytime access, infrastructure flexibility, scalability, cost reduction, rapid deployment, and faster time to market. Savings arising due to this migration are eventually routed back into the local economy, thereby making a significant contribution to the countrys digital economy. Commenting on the benefits of Cloud framework, Binoo Joseph, CTO Emaar Technologies stated: In FY21, Adfolks enhanced our cloud usage by positioning Azure DevOps as the starting point where their team supported our developers with development releases. With a fully integrated Azure DevSecOps solution, we were able to reduce the time to market from days to hours. What took at least 3-4 days for approvals and optimisations, now was done in a matter of less than 3-4 hours by also reducing pentest timelines. Re-platforming a business-critical application that came with a heavy load of pictures and multiple tiers of user-based access, using Microservices and AKS, was the next step, that helped us achieve commendable scalability and great stability. We were also able to cut down on massive on-premises costs by embracing Azure. Prior to the pandemic, the organisations had one unified office with all employees in one place. With decentralisation, the boundaries of the organisation have become ambiguous. Data is all over the place, demanding a need for a comprehensive and consolidated security strategy including a strong cloud framework. Employees in the Mena region during this phase also were demanding an anytime-anywhere-on-any-device service. This has triggered the need for secure cloud platforms, and we have been able to support companies in the region to use digital services that are more secure than ever before especially during the pandemic, concluded Mohan.-- TradeArabia News Service Ceremony to receive certificate recognising Hoang Hoa su trinh do as Documentary Heritage in Asia and the Pacific under UNESCOs Memory of the World Programme (Photo: VNA) The two belong to Truong Luu village in Kim Song Truong commune of the provinces Can Loc district. Last year, the provincial Peoples Committee sent a document to the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO on the nomination of Hoang Hoa su trinh do as World Heritage. In the coming time, more books on "Hoang Hoa su trinh do" will be published and introduced on the mass media. "Hoang Hoa su trinh do (literally translated as maps and itinerary of the envoys journey to China) belongs to the Nguyen Huy family. With writings, drawings and maps, the book records the diplomatic relationship between Vietnam and China in the 18th century through journeys of Vietnamese envoys. It was compiled and edited by Nguyen Huy Oanh (1713-1789) based on documents of previous envoys and historical records as well as notes from his own journey in 1766-1767, during which he worked as the chief envoy of the Vietnamese delegation. According to Professor Nguyen Huy My, a 16th-generation descendant of the Nguyen Huy family, the book was copied by Nguyen Huy Trien in 1887 from the original version. The manuscript measures 30cm in length, 20cm in width and 2cm in thickness. The main content is a journey map with detailed notes covering 204 pages, describing mountains, rivers, villages, citadels, relic sites and natural landscapes and communication activities between envoys and local authorities and residents. Meanwhile, Phuc Giang school woodblocks were used to print materials in Chinese and Nom (a classical vernacular script of the Vietnamese language) for learning and teaching at Phuc Giang school, a private school set up by the Nguyen Huy family in mid-18th century. Each individual woodblock, 25-30 cm in length, 25-28 cm in width and 1-2 cm in thickness, is a unique work of art, aesthetically carved with beautiful calligraphic styles. The total set originally had around 3,000 blocks, but many have been damaged or destroyed over time. Presently, the set comprises 383 well-preserved blocks. They are the only ancient woodblocks created by a family for education preserved till today in Vietnam./. Minister Bui Thanh Son is paying an official visit to the country from February 9 to 11 at the invitation of his RoK counterpart Chung Eui-yong, during which the official is scheduled to attend a meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)s Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP). Hosting the Vietnamese minister, President Moon expressed his hope that the two nations will soon elevate their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and recommended the sides increase their collaboration regarding regional and international issues of common interest. RoK President Moon Jae-in and visiting Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (L) (Photo: The Blue House) He also requested that Vietnam further facilitate RoK firms' operation in the country, particularly those investing in infrastructure, finance, and large-scale projects. Appreciating Vietnams coordinating role for the ASEAN-RoK relations during 2021-2024, the President said the Vietnamese FM's current visit to the RoK will contribute to developing his nations ties with Vietnam and ASEAN in the time to come. For his part, Minister Bui Thanh Son affirmed Vietnam highly values and wants to foster its relations with the RoK, particularly in organising activities in celebration of the 30th founding anniversary of their bilateral diplomatic relationship and in lifting the ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership this year. He suggested the sides maintain regular high-level exchanges and interactions, create a favourable political environment and effectively implement mechanism for cooperation expansion, especially in economy, trade, investment, and post-pandemic recovery. The diplomat highlighted the goal of raising bilateral trade to 100 billion USD in 2023 and the need to enhance bilateral collaboration in culture, education tourism, labour, people-to-people exchange, and citizen protection. It is also necessary to maintain the bilateral cooperation at multilateral forums, he added. He stressed Vietnam will fulfill its role of coordinator for ASEAN-RoK relations for 2021 2024 to achieve more practical and effective progress in the ties. The Vietnamese minister hoped that the two nations will continue to coordinate and affirm their stance on maintaining peace, stability and legal order at sea, respecting the freedom of navigation and overflight and settling the East Sea disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The sides should continue to support the building of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and the UNCLOS, Minister Bui Thanh Son noted./. The vaccines at the hand-over ceremony (Photo: VNA) According to Ambassador Xiong Bo, to share with and support the Vietnamese army and people in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese Ministry of National Defence presented the vaccines produced by China to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence. He confirmed that the vaccine demonstrates the sentiments of the Chinese military in particular and Chinese Government in general to the military and people of Vietnam. Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien thanked the Chinese side for the gift, asserting that amid the complex development of the pandemic globally, it is a precious present, which is evidence of the friendly neighborliness and solidarity between the two countries and two militaries in particular. He added that the vaccines will be used after checks to ensure that they meet the quality standards. The Vero-Cell COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinopharm has been listed in the WHO Emergency Use Listing Procedure (EUL) and purchased by the COVAX Facility to help countries have equal access to vaccines. It has also been used in over 70 countries, including many Southeast Asian countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Earlier, on August 23, 2021, the Chinese Ministry of National Defence also presented 200,000 doses of Vero-Cell COVID-19 vaccine to the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence./. 300 children who lost parents to Covid-19 admitted to FPT school The first 300 children who lost their parents to Covid-19 have been admitted to a newly-established school run by FPT Company in Danang City. The Hope School in Danang According to Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the FPT Board of Management, the school will foster, offer education and provide for the orphans until they come of age. "As a leading technology enterprise in Vietnam, FPT wants to take in these children and help them grow up to be productive members of society," he said. "This is what we can do and must do. Binh said the Hope School was committed to receiving 1,000 orphans and would provide education for them in the next 20 years. The annual cost could reach approximately VND80 billion. The businessman shared that FPT City Da Nang could accommodate the children to live and learn on the campus. Two children share a room at the hostel "The Hope School Project has received lots of support from FPT partners and the public for its operation in the first five years from 2021-2025," he said. "Some local airlines have also committed to offer free travel for students to visit their families twice a year." More than 1,500 children in HCM City have become orphans due to the pandemic, according to the HCM City Department of Education and Training at the start of the 2021-2022 school year. Considerable international participation is expected at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) and Simulation and Training Exhibition (SimTEX) 2022, being held in Abu Dhabi next week. The Higher Organising Committee of the exhibitions and its accompanying conference, which will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, held a meeting for representatives of diplomatic missions accredited to the UAE today. The meeting shed light on the activities and agenda of the two exhibitions and conference, taking place from February 20-23. Diplomatic figures and high-level officials attended the meeting, and were briefed on the events preparations and procedures. The meeting focused on the role of the exhibitions in developing the unmanned systems and the simulation and training sectors in the UAE, as well as their role in contributing to the development regional and international levels. Adnec is organising UMEX and SimTEX 2022 in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Defense, with the support of Edge Group, strategic partner, and Tawazun Economic Council, the headline sponsor of the accompanying conference. Participants in the meeting discussed the most important fields that UMEX and SimTEX will be focusing on including innovations and technologies in the unmanned systems, simulation, and training sectors, as well as AI and robotics technologies. The international turnout will include government delegations and a number of agencies, entities, and civil establishments specialising in these vital sectors, the statement said. The conference held prior to the exhibitions on February 20, will bring together international leaders, experts, and officials in these sectors to discuss the main theme - Unmanned, Unbound: Realising the Promise of the Unmanned Revolution. Speaking for Major General Dr. Mubarak Saeed Ghafan Al Jabri, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee, Brigadier General Staff Pilot Mohamed Obaid Rashid Al Marshoodi, Deputy Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee, said: UMEX and SimTEX 2022 continue to bolster their strategic position in terms of strengthening and developing all sectors that are based on technology, innovation, and AI. This vital event has become a global platform for showcasing the latest unmanned systems and the simulation and training systems. He added: Welcoming the participation of international leaders, missions, and key players, these exhibitions play a vital role in strengthening the UAEs position as a global centre for advanced technologies and innovation in line with global trends in these specialised sectors. Our partnership with the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec), the organiser of this event, contributes to consolidating this events leading position. Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of Adnec, said: "The fifth edition of UMEX and SimTEX reflects the distinguished international position that it has been able to achieve since its first launch in 2014. Adnec is currently finalising its preparations for the successful organisation of this event in cooperation with its partners in the public and private sectors in accordance with the aspirations of the wise leadership and in a manner befitting the UAEs reputation at the regional levels. The two exhibitions are expected to attract the participation of major specialised international companies, experts and decision-makers from all over the world, despite the exceptional circumstances the world is currently going through. Al Dhaheri indicated that the current edition would witness participation from countries and national pavilions for the first time. In addition, the number of new accompanying events and live demonstrations of various equipment and systems, will embodies the strategy of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company to develop and support existing exhibitions in a number of promising sectors and work continuously to transfer and localise advanced knowledge of the country, in order to support national industries in these vital sectors, enhance their competitiveness, and open the way for partnerships with major international specialised companies. Adnec is committed to applying safety procedures of the highest standards to ensure the health and safety of all participants in the exhibitions, employing preventative measures and protocols that follow local and international health directives, serving as a role model in the sector, and allowing specialists to convene and exchange expertise in a secure and safe environment. Al Dhaheri concluded. The meeting discussed the conference accompanying the exhibitions, held under the theme Unmanned, Unbound: Realizing the Promise of the Unmanned Revolution, which will feature 22 speakers and will host 500 participants who will be present in person at the Adnoc Business Centre, while around 1,500 people are expected to attend the conference virtually. This emphasises the UAEs standing as a unique international destination for hosting conferences on unmanned systems and simulation and training systems. - TradeArabia News Service Chinese solar power plant developer Jinko Power Technology has won a $209-million contract to build, own, and operate a 300 MW solar power plant in Saad, some 85 km east of Saudi capital Riyadh, reported Yicai Global. The Shanghai-based companys winning bid equalled about 1.48 US cents per kilowatt hours. As per the deal, it will take about two years for construction and the operating period is estimated at 30 years. The project is expected to generate about 876 million kWh annually, while the payback period will be about 15 years, stated the report. Jinko Power has more than three gigawatts of projects proposed or under construction, including a 2.1 GW plant in Abu Dhabi developed in 2020, it added. The Indian state of Kerala is all set to showcase its tourism and business attractiveness to the global investors with its cultural heritage during the states week (February 4-10) from the Indian Pavilion at Expo2020 Dubai. The state floor at the Indian Pavilion will be inaugurated by Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala, along with P Rajeev, Minister for Law, Industries and Coir, Government of Kerala and Sunjay Sudhir, Ambassador of India to UAE on Friday. Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India in Dubai and Deputy Commissioner-General for India at Expo 2020 and Mohammed Haneesh, Principal Secretary Industries, Govt. of Kerala will also be present at the inaugural ceremony along with senior state Govt. officials, eminent industrialists based in UAE and NRK business community. A high-level delegation headed by the Chief Minister will meet the investors during the week and pitch for investments. The programme would also feature diaspora connect events and showcase the tourism prowess to bring more investment and business opportunities in key growth sectors. A reception for Pinarayi Vijayan will also be organised by Norka Roots and Kerala Pravasi Lokam. While the states industry department will showcase business potentials for investment in various key sectors and highlight the recent changes in the Ease of Doing Business policy, P A Mohammed Riyas, Minister for Tourism, Govt. of Kerala will lead an Industry awareness session along with a roadshow on the states tourism capabilities. Along with showcasing the business attractiveness, the state will also exhibit its rich art &cultural heritage to the global audience at the India Pavilion. TradeArabia News Service Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, an ultra-low-fare national airline of the UAE, has added services to Amman and Aqaba in Jordan. The flight to Amman will operate two times a week on Tuesday and Saturday. Flights to Aqaba will operate two times a week on Sunday and Thursday. Tickets are on sale on wizzair.com and the airlines mobile app (also available in Arabic), with fares starting as low as AED70 ($19). Home to ancient treasures and monuments, lush green landscapes and staggering mountains, the beautiful country of Jordan is a great place for visitors looking to discover the region and experience a new adventure. Jordan has something for everyone from floating in the beautiful and world famous Dead Sea to experiencing the awe-inspiring rose-red sandstone rock facades and temples of Petra, one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: We are all very excited to be adding Jordan to our network and look forward to offering our customers the opportunity to experience such an incredible and culturally rich destination. Jordan really has it all, from hiking, sightseeing to relaxing on the beach. The wonders at Petra are incredible and something everyone should experience. The whole Wizz Air Abu Dhabi team are pleased to offer these travel and adventure opportunities to UAE residents at great prices and making them more accessible to everyone. We will continue to add to our flight schedule as travel restrictions begin to ease across the world were looking forward to welcoming you onboard soon! Wizz Air Abu Dhabi provides ultra-low fare, hassle-free and efficient travel options for people looking to explore a wide range of attractive destinations in the UAE and abroad. The airline has a young fleet composed of four brand new state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprint. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has the lowest environmental footprint among its competitors in the region, supporting the airlines long-term commitment to sustainability. The airline features WIZZ Flex, which enables passengers to cancel their flight up to three hours before departure without any fee and receive 100% of the fare immediately reimbursed in airline credit. TradeArabia News Service Dubai Airports, operator of Dubai International (DXB), the worlds busiest international airport, and Dubai World Central (DWC), has appointed Majed Al Joker as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). The move is in line with Dubai Airports commitment to develop and promote Emirati leaders, and is part of the operators preparations and planning to stay primed and ready to capitalise on growth opportunities anticipated over the coming years, said a statement. As the COO, Al Jokers role combines key operational functions at Dubai Airports including Terminal Service Delivery, Airside Service Delivery, Airport Operations Control Centre, Security, and Safety & Sustainability into a single business unit. Prior to his promotion, Al Joker was Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs. As someone who has held senior positions across the business and successfully led teams in delivering key objectives for the organisation over nearly a decade and a half, Majed brings a wealth of experience to the role. His experience, knowledge of the business and leadership skills will play an important role for Dubai Airports as we prepare to ramp up our strategy for growth and expansion in a post pandemic world, said Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports. Al Joker joined Dubai Airports in 2008 as Vice President of Terminal Operations before he was promoted to the position of Senior Vice President of Operations. Prior to joining Dubai Airports, he served as Deputy Director of Airport Operations at Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC). He began his journey in the aviation industry at Emirates airline, where he worked as the outstation airport services manager at several destinations and was later appointed as the airlines regional manager for airport services covering 24 stations in West Asia. - TradeArabia News Service Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Thailand plans to build bridge linking with Laos across Mekong River Thailand's Transport Ministry is planning a feasibility and design study on a new bridge across the Mekong River as part of the third phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project. Illustrative image (Photo: Bangkok Post) Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said the seventh bridge linking Nong Khai with Vientiane, also known as the second Thailand-Laos friendship bridge, is designed to accommodate both rail and road transport. He added that the Department of Highways will be responsible for the design study which is estimated to cost about 140 million THB (4.25 million USD) from the central budget. According to him, construction costs of the bridge and a small network of roads are estimated at 4 billion THB, which are likely to be split between Thailand and Laos and the issue will be discussed by the joint Thailand-Laos committee. The bridge project must be completed before the second phase of the high-speed train project opens for service in 2028, said the minister. He said the study of the new bridge, which is to be located 50m from the Thailand-Laos Friendship Bridge, will take one year to complete. The front page of an extra from The Sun on Monday, February 8, 1904, about the Baltimore fire. (Sun archives) The antique fire engine is draped in black fabric, with a photo of three Baltimore firefighters who died while responding to a blaze Jan. 24. Two of the firefighters killed that day Lt. Kelsey Sadler and Kenny Lacayo were posted at Engine Company 14, formed in 1822 and the same station where this steam pumping engine once belonged. Advertisement Edward Burgee, collections technician with the Fire Museum of Maryland and a retired firefighter with the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, said he was gutted by the first responders deaths and wanted to honor them accordingly. Were all brothers, he said. We lose one, we hear about it, we feel it. Advertisement Located at the Fire Museum of Maryland in Lutherville, this 1888 steam pumping engine with Engine Company 14 responded to the Great Fire of 1904. The engine is draped in black as a tribute to three firefighters who died Jan. 24 in Baltimore. Two of those killed belonged to Engine Company 14. (Christina Tkacik) Fires whether of 1904 or 2022 are top of mind at this Lutherville museum, which houses 40 antique fire engines including several that, like the number 14 steam pumping engine, responded to Baltimores Great Fire of 1904. Last weekend, the museum held a virtual event to commemorate the conflagration, which started Feb. 7 and burned through the following day. In previous years, the museum has conducted guided bus tours to show the fires progress through the city though those have been on hold during the pandemic. Burgee and other museum staff members can bring the fire to life and recall its significance for the citys history and even the nations. The fire itself was a defining moment for the city, said Stephen G. Heaver, the museum director. Resulting in the destruction of much of the citys downtown and the ruin of 1,500 buildings, it also paved the way for improved fire safety standards, and spurred the redesign and modernization of Baltimore. The cause is unclear. Some people think it was started by a lit cigar that rolled into the basement of a dry goods store. Around 11 that morning, an explosion shook the Hurst Building at Hopkins and German Street, now Redwood. Thats when things really began to happen quickly, Heaver said. By 11:30, the building had collapsed, crushing a steam pumping engine like the one on display at the museum. Advertisement The museum recalls the heroics of the firefighters, the machines they used and even the horses that pulled them. Just before the Hurst building fell, a huge horse named Goliath stood outside, harnessed to a 65-foot water tower. When flames singed his back legs he lunged forward, pulling the tower to safety. Goliath, a Baltimore City fire department horse who saved a much-needed water tower during the Great Fire of 1904. Despite being burned during the fire, he continued to work for years after and was considered a hero in Baltimore. He is pictured here at a parade in 1906. Powerful winds that changed direction multiple times propelled the blaze through downtown, Heaver said. It was a Sunday; hundreds of people left their church services, jamming the streets to watch the spectacle and hampering rescue efforts. As night fell, the fire in Baltimore was visible from Havre de Grace, said Burgee, whose aunt was 8 years old and lived in Harford County at the time. She could see the glow in the sky from that far away. Parents put children to bed in clothes in case they should need to evacuate homes overnight, and residents placed wet blankets on the roofs of their homes to prevent flying embers from catching on. Burgee said his grandmother, who lived near Patterson Park, put out a fire on her back porch with an old rug. The city temporarily went without electricity as workers shut down generators at the main power station before evacuating the building. The four-stacked power plant along the Inner Harbor was one of just a handful of structures to survive the blaze. Advertisement Among the buildings destroyed was The Baltimore Suns offices at Baltimore and South streets. The newspaper temporarily relocated its printing operations to Washington, D.C., sharing a press with The Washington Star. Until The Sun closed its printing press in Port Covington this year, it was the only time the newspaper had been printed outside Baltimore. Its offices destroyed, The Baltimore Sun temporarily relocated its printing operation to Washington in the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1904. (Handout (Fire Museum of Maryland)) A few buildings that werent destroyed by fire were dynamited as the city sought to level structures to prevent the blaze from spreading. It was, Burgee and Heaver say, an ineffective strategy. Opposed to this tactic, the owner of ONeills department store, Thomas ONeill, told officials they would have to dynamite his building with him inside. According to The Sun archives, he woke up the nuns living at the Carmelite Convent at Biddle and Caroline streets and asked them to pray for his store. His building was spared; ONeill left his estate to the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which used part of the money to build the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen on North Charles Street. Weekend Watch Weekly Plan your weekend with our picks for the best events, restaurant and movie reviews, TV shows and more. Delivered every Thursday. > ONeill wasnt the only one to turn to God. In Little Italy, residents prayed to St. Anthony, the patron saint of lost causes, to spare their neighborhood. The fire never made it across the Jones Falls stream; in gratitude, neighbors continue to hold an annual festival in his honor. People have long maintained that no one died in the fire. Thats not true, but casualties for the fire were still remarkably few, given the level of destruction. At least one man was believed to have drowned in the harbor while attempting to escape, and at least one firefighter developed pneumonia and died. Overall, Baltimore made a remarkable recovery from a tragedy that left much of the city looking like Nuremberg, said Heaver, referring to the German city leveled by Allied bombing raids during World War II. Advertisement In 1906, a parade through the city celebrated Baltimores comeback. Goliath wore a wreath of flowers around his neck scars on his back legs a visible reminder of the blaze. He was treated pretty much like the hero he was for the rest of his life, Burgee said. At times, mistakes led to future innovations. Fire departments from as far away as New York City arrived to help combat the blaze. Once they arrived, they found their hoses couldnt connect with the hydrants here. That led to the implementation of a national standard for hydrants, still in use today. Those innovations continue to be relevant in the 21st century. Last week, fire departments from surrounding counties arrived in Baltimore to respond to calls to allow firefighters here to attend the funeral for Lacayo, Sadler, and Lt. Paul Butrim. On his deathbed, William Henry Chick Webb asked his friend and physician, Dr. Ralph J. Young, to carry out the dream he wouldnt live to see: Raise money for a recreation center for Black children in East Baltimore to safely gather and play. An East Baltimore native, Webb rose to fame as a jazz and swing drummer and bandleader who influenced the likes of Duke Ellington and mentored a young Ella Fitzgerald. But tuberculosis and a series of other health problems cut the music prodigys life short. Advertisement No more than 34 years old, Webb died in 1939 in his hometown, where he worried about young people turning to crime and struggling to make ends meet. Young, Webbs doctor since childhood, promised to see to his friends dream. Hundreds of people show up June 22, 1939, for the funeral of noted jazz drummer Chick Webb, who was born in Baltimore and died at age 34. (Baltimore Sun files) Thats how the Chick Webb Memorial Recreation Center, the first recreation facility and pool built for Black people in segregated East Baltimore, came to be. The facility opened in 1947, after years of communitywide fundraising and organizing, as well as help from Fitzgerald and other celebrities, who held charity concerts and other events in Webbs honor. Advertisement Generations later, the center now a designated city landmark that is protected from demolition and inappropriate development is poised for major rehabilitation work, in large part due to the efforts of several concerned community members who feared for the facilitys demise and advocated for its future. In that way, history is repeating itself. Before the aging rec center was dubbed a landmark, several East Baltimore residents heard the city planned to raze it for a major new redevelopment project. Baltimore native Chick Webb was swing-era jazz drummer known for "Stompin' at the Savoy." (Sun files) Word got out that [the city was] trying to take out East Baltimore history, which was built on low-income communities, said Catherine Benton Jones, president of Change 4 Real, a neighborhood coalition that has been involved in the planning for the renovated facility. The history was going to be wiped out, and when the community got wind of it, thats when the community got together. The Perkins Somerset Oldtown transformation plan is a massive undertaking, involving about $1 billion in investment from federal, state, city and private partners, that aims to create a new, mixed-income housing community in East Baltimore. Residents of Perkins and Somerset Homes have been relocated already but given the option to return to their neighborhood as the roughly 1,345 new housing units are completed. A portion of the homes will be available for below-market rates. The project includes two new parks, two rec centers and a new school. Janet Abrahams, president and CEO of the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, called the Chick Webb center a critical component of the neighborhood transformation. But Chick Webbs fate wasnt always as clear, several East Baltimore residents say. Many were skeptical from the start, given that past redevelopment projects elsewhere in the city broke up neighborhoods and erased Black history. Many in East Baltimore didnt want to see their neighborhood become the next domino. Advertisement Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 14 The Chick Webb Recreation Center, an Art Moderne building completed in 1947, is slated to be renovated next year. An addition to the N. Eden Street building will be built on this playground area on the north side of the center, adjacent to E. Monument Street. Baltimore-born jazz bandleader William Henry Chick Webb wanted a rec center for his segregated neighborhood, and his physician, Dr. Ralph J. Young, led the effort to raise the funds to build it after Webbs untimely death at age 30. (Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun) I got angry. We were very, very disappointed. We were hurt, said Myrtle Conigland, an East Baltimore native. Ive been going up and using Chick Webb as long as I can remember. After rumors of Chick Webbs demolition began to circulate, members of the Paul Laurence Dunbar High School alumni network hatched a plan to save their community rec center. Called the Dunbar coalition, the group led by Conigland, its president successfully lobbied East Baltimore Councilman Robert Stokes to introduce legislation that would send the Chick Webb building to Baltimores historic preservation panel for review. By July 2017, Chick Webb had been deemed eligible for landmark status, not only for its ties to Webb but also for its architectural value. The building itself is designed in the Art Moderne style by Baltimore architect Frederic A. Fletcher, and is an excellent example of the style, wrote Eric Holcomb, executive director of the citys Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation, in the buildings landmark designation report. John Faulkner, a part-time recreation assistant at the Chick Webb Recreation Center, stands near a bulletin board celebrating the legendary East Baltimore jazz bandleader, Chick Webb. (Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun) Community feedback and input have strengthened Chick Webbs revitalization plan, said Katherine Brower, design planner at Baltimore City Recreation and Parks. She said the department never planned on demolishing the building, though there may have been some interest in doing so among developers. For the Perkins Somerset Oldtown project to qualify for a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the city needed to invest in recreation in East Baltimore, Brower said. She acknowledged that the rumors about demolition may never be settled, though. Advertisement Quite honestly, theres a lot of distrust between residents and citizens and any city agency, Brower said. So, a lot of any project is trying to build trust. We dont want to build something [the community] doesnt want or wont use. Brower said the buildings historic landmark designation has required the department to work closely with the citys historic preservationists to ensure the architectural integrity of the building remains intact. There also are budget constraints, she said, limiting how much can be done there. The Chick Webb Recreation Center, the first recreation center and pool built for the Black community of East Baltimore, is slated to be renovated and expanded, starting next year. Israel Nunez, left, Eastside district manager for the Department of Recreation and Parks, speaks with Gerald Stokes, in the gym. (Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun) Still, nearly $20 million will be infused into Chick Webb, Brower said. In addition to facade and courtyard upgrades, the interior will be outfitted with a new gymnasium and walking track; more accessible and modern locker rooms; a reconfigured indoor pool; and a recording studio and founders room that pays homage to the buildings past. Rooms will be available for community meetings and cultural events, as well. Theres no part of the space thats not being touched; everythings getting worked on, said Lance Decker, an architect and design supervisor at the recreation and parks department. For us, $20 million is life-changing. There also will be space in the lobby dedicated to telling Chick Webbs story, Brower said, and the history of East Baltimore. A work group composed of community members, historians and academics who have studied Webb and the music of his time are involved, she said. And there are plans for a mural on the buildings exterior. We felt that this was important because not only was the center fundraised for solely by African Americans, but it was for African Americans, Brower said. We want to showcase that. We want to make sure we tell a story that they helped direct and that they feel is representative of the story they want to tell. Advertisement Lisa Andrews, senior associate at GWWO Architects, which is helping to lead the design portion of the project, said the buildings size will be almost doubled from about 17,192 square feet to 33,172 square feet. The architects envision it as a state-of-the-art, multigenerational hub, with a colorful exterior color scheme in the spirit of Webbs vibrant drum sets. The city also plans to invest in other nearby recreation centers, including the Madison Square Recreation Center a few blocks away. And while Chick Webb may be too small for a competition-sized pool, Brower said Madison Square may be a better fit, even if it is just outside the Perkins Somerset Oldtown projects boundaries. Brower said the department envisions a network of related recreation facilities with different amenities and purposes that neighborhood residents can use, akin to a campus. She said she hopes that will help break down neighborhood silos, too. A rendering of how the renovated Chick Webb center will look from the Eden Street Promenade. (GWWO Architects) Thats not necessarily how Baltimore works, said Ronald Miles, a former member of the Dunbar coalition who has since formed a nonprofit called the RJY Chick Webb Council. He helped shepherd the centers designation as a historic landmark and the founders room ideas into existence. He spent much of his childhood at Chick Webb, he said, and it did for him what its founders intended: It gave him a safe space to grow up. I have carried out the dream, the 74-year-old said. Advertisement Miles has devoted the last five years to educating himself about the buildings history and spreading awareness about the Chick Webb center both locally and nationally. With any luck, he said, Chick Webb will someday be a household name. In his view, the city hasnt done a good enough job teaching people its history or preserving its roots. He cited other prized landmarks, such as Cab Calloways childhood home, that have been destroyed, despite some residents preservation efforts. He also questioned the plans for the new site, saying Chick Webbs pool, for example, should have been made competition-sized. And hes frustrated, he said, that it took city officials this long to invest in what he called sacred space. Breaking News Alerts As it happens Be informed of breaking news as it happens and notified about other don't-miss content with our free news alerts. > I was 70 years old when I learned the story. We walk around and we see buildings, and we dont make the connection. We dont educate, Miles said. How do you miss Chick Webb after all these years? Ronald Miles, president and CEO of RJY Chick Webb Council, outside the Chick Webb Recreation Center in the 600 block of N. Eden St. (Amy Davis) Brower said its not unusual for city development to spark the interest of neighborhood residents and activists, though officials are tasked with balancing what the community wants against whats practical. She said community members have pushed officials to be more transparent about their processes and timelines, and rightly so. She said she understands their frustrations about the slow-moving bureaucracy that sometimes hinders progress. The coronavirus pandemic, she said, also slowed some of the momentum. Advertisement Theres a huge amount of work involved, and it seems like theres not anything going on for long periods from the publics point of view because we dont communicate with them about every little change thats happening, Brower said. I can understand the communitys point of view that were not doing anything. But we are working. Chick Webb is still in its design phase, but Brower hopes construction can begin next January, after it celebrates its 75th anniversary. Conigland, of the Dunbar coalition, said the community will continue to push to keep Webbs memory alive even if it causes tension or discomfort. It hasnt been easy, but its been whats expected, Conigland said. Were going to make sure Chick Webb will be set up so it can service the older adults, and the middle age, as well as young people. Carroll County Public Schools reported Wednesday 339 positive cases among students and staff as COVID-19 numbers continue to decline significantly across the school system. This is the fourth consecutive week that overall case numbers have declined, after peaking at 1,313 cases reported for the week ending Jan. 12. Advertisement Mount Airy had the most positive COVID cases among middle schools for the third consecutive week with 22. Last week, the school emailed parents to confirm an official COVID-19 outbreak, according to Karl Streaker, director of student services in the school system. The Maryland Department of Health defines an outbreak as two or more linked positive cases, Streaker said. The school systems COVID dashboard, which updates weekly on Wednesdays, reported 339 positive cases for the entire school system for the week ending Feb. 9. That number was down from 448 in the seven-day period that ended Feb. 2. For the period ending that ended Jan. 26, the total number of positive cases was 635. Advertisement This weeks total includes 10 staff members and 329 students. A total of 130 people were in quarantine in the school system this week, which is the lowest number of people in quarantine during this school year, according to the dashboard. Quarantine data reflect the number of individuals required to quarantine because they are a close contact to a positive COVID-19 case. The quarantine data do not reflect individuals in quarantine because they are COVID positive. In CCPS this week, Freedom had the most positive cases among elementary schools with 23, while Winfield reported 22. Sandymount reported 17, while Taneytown and Linton Springs each reported 13. Among middle schools, the highest number of cases was at Mount Airy, while Oklahoma Road reported 11 cases, and Sykesville and East each had 9. Francis Scott Key and Manchester Valley each had the most positive cases among high schools with 17, while Liberty had 11, and Winters Mill reported 10 cases. Vietnam looks toward comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with RoK The nation attaches great importance to and wishes to further develop relations with the Republic of Korea (RoK) into a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2022. Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (L) meets with RoK President Moon Jae-in (Photo: RoK Presidential Palace) Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son made the statement during a meeting held on February 9 with RoK President Moon Jae-in as part of his official visit to the RoK. He will also attend the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-run Southeast Asia Regional Programme (SEARP) ministerial meeting from February 9 to February 11 at the invitation of his RoK counterpart Chung Eui-yong and Mathias Cormann, secretary general of the OECD. President Moon conveyed his greetings to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and other senior leaders of Vietnam. He welcomed Minister Sons official visit to the RoK, considering it to be an important event that opens the 30th anniversary of both nations diplomatic relations. President Moon affirmed that the RoK always regards the nation as a key partner in carrying out the New Southern Policy, whilst also voicing his hope that the two sides will soon upgrade their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. He therefore suggested continuing to create favourable conditions for Korean businesses to operate in Vietnam, especially investing in infrastructure and finance, as well as large-scale projects, whilst simultaneously strengthening co-ordination between the two countries regarding regional and international issues of shared concern. The Korean President went on to laud Vietnams co-ordinating role in the RoK-ASEAN relations during the 2021 to 2024 period, while saying that the visit of the Vietnamese Foreign Minister will contribute to promoting greater development of relations between the RoK and Vietnam, as well as with ASEAN in general. In response, Minister Son congratulated President Moon on the achievements that the RoK has recorded in recent times, especially in both effective response to the pandemic and socio-economic development. He also affirmed the countrys recognition of great importance to and its desire to further develop relations with the RoK, in which the focus is on competently implementing activities aimed at celebrating the 30th anniversary of bilateral ties and upgrading relations into to a comprehensive strategic partnership this year. The Vietnamese Minister went on to express his hopes that both nations would maintain regular high-level exchanges and meetings, thereby creating a favourable political environment, effectively deploying mechanisms aimed at expanding co-operation. This will be seen in the fields of economy, trade, investment, and post-pandemic recovery towards raising the two countries' trade turnover to US$100 billion by 2023. He also emphasized the necessity of strengthening co-operation in culture, education, tourism, labour, people-to-people exchanges, boosting closer co-ordination in supporting each other's citizens, and continuing to maintain co-ordination at multilateral forums. Minister Son affirmed that the nation will fulfill its co-ordinating role in ASEAN - RoK relations during the 2021 to 2024 period in order to develop the relationship between ASEAN and the RoK in a more substantive and effective manner. He also stated his wish that Vietnam and the RoK would continue to co-ordinate and show a positive stance on maintaining peace, stability, and legal order at sea, along with respecting freedom of navigation and overflight. This is in addition to settling disputes in the East Sea through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. Moving forward, the Vietnamese diplomat hopes that the two sides will provide continued support for the building of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law and UNCLOS 1982. UB will expand COVID-19 wastewater surveillance in Western New York Since late 2020, engineers have been working with Erie County to monitor the prevalence of the virus that causes COVID-19 in and around Buffalo. Credit: Douglas Levere Monitoring wastewater can provide an early warning to future pandemics and potential variants of viruses. BUFFALO, N.Y. University at Buffalo engineers will expand wastewater surveillance monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in Western New York. Since late 2020, engineers have been working with Erie County to monitor the prevalence of the virus that causes COVID-19 in and around Buffalo. The effort buttresses data collected at hospitals and other health care providers that inform the regions infection rate, and it can serve as an early-warning system for changes in infection dynamics. Thanks to two recently announced partnerships one led by the New York State Department of Health and Syracuse University, the other by Virginia-based Ceres Nanosciences UB will have additional tools that will allow engineers to conduct more testing in a more efficient manner, including bringing wastewater monitoring to regions the four other counties. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are funding initiatives to build national wastewater testing capacity throughout the United States, says Ian Bradley, PhD, assistant professor in environmental engineering and RENEW faculty. Based on the criteria, and our ongoing work surveilling wastewater in Erie County, Western New York was an ideal fit. Bradley and Yinyin Ye, PhD, assistant professor of environmental engineering, are leading this effort, and a team of undergraduate and graduate students will perform the work. Ceres partnership boosts efficiency, training for students Ceres is a privately held company that received $8.2 million from the NIH to enhance wastewater surveillance and testing capacity throughout the country. With the grant, it designated nine wastewater centers of excellence facilities nationwide, including UB. The centers are a mix of academic and commercial organizations, and the plan is to extend current wastewater surveillance and testing to rural areas, tribal lands and areas with high percentages of underrepresented minorities, says Bradley. UB engineers will utilize Ceres technology to optimize their current methods for collecting and testing wastewater. The current methods are labor intensive, and the team of researchers need to collect 500 milliliters of wastewater to test samples. Ceres new technology allows researchers to collect samples in 15 milliliter tubes, and test 24 samples at once, making the collection, testing and transit processes more efficient. Once implemented, the new technology will make the process more convenient and help us expand from Erie County to the rest of the region, Bradley says. The center of excellence distinction provides UB with an opportunity to further develop expertise in this area. According to Ye, the ongoing project has trained five masters students and six undergraduate students in wastewater processing and virus detection methods. Students are learning wastewater-based epidemiology and clinical lab methods associated with polymerase chain reaction [PCR], a ubiquitous tool for amplifying data, she says. Research News Study reveals impact of loneliness among older women during pandemic By DAVID J. HILL We are only beginning to understand the many ways the pandemic has impacted our health, including emotional health and well-being. A UB researcher is among the co-authors of a recent paper that reveals how loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic has affected American women over the age of 70. The study of more than 27,400 Womens Health Initiative (WHI) participants ranging in age from 71 to 104 shows that loneliness increased among women when measured during the early months of the pandemic compared to when they were surveyed a few years before the pandemic began. This increase in loneliness and loss of social connections which the research team called a silent epidemic has resulted in worsening mental health. We are only beginning to understand the many ways the pandemic has impacted our health, including emotional health and well-being. The elderly may especially feel a sense of loneliness and isolation. The longer-term effects of loneliness remain to be understood, says study co-author Jean Wactawski-Wende, SUNY Distinguished Professor and dean of the School of Public Health and Health Professions, who has served as principal investigator on UBs Womens Health Initiative Center for more than 25 years. The findings were published in December in the Journals of Gerontology. Joseph Goveas of the Medical College of Wisconsin is first author. The study relied on data collected from WHI participants who completed surveys, which included a scaled-down version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale, from 2014-16 and between February and October 2020. Studies prior to the COVID-19 pandemic indicated that more than 40% of Americans 60 and older were lonely, with women expressing more loneliness than men. This WHI study was able to use survey data collected pre-COVID from the same women in the early months after the pandemic spread across the United States. The WHI dataset includes one of the largest and most diverse cohorts of older women available the average age of women in this study was 83 which created a unique opportunity for researchers to examine changes in loneliness scores from pre-pandemic times to the early months of the pandemic. They also looked at factors associated with changes in loneliness and how those changes impacted mental health. In this study, 19% of women reported clinically significant depressive symptoms during the pandemic. There were also significant increases in loneliness during the early months of the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, while only 10% of women reported severe loneliness scores from 2014-16, that figure rose to 19% during the pandemic, and the increase was more pronounced in women age 70 and older. In addition, a lack of in-person communication was associated with increased mental health symptoms like depression, stress and anxiety. During the early months of the pandemic, nearly 47% of study participants reported living alone. And while 80% said they communicate every day or several times a week with people outside their home, 25% reported that the communication occurred less often than before the pandemic and only 39% were staying in touch with others by speaking in person. It's a great place to visit or shop The new street is nice but shops have disappeared I have no reason to go there Vote View Results Address: 139 Market St., Annapolis List price: $1.2 million Advertisement Year built: Early 18th century with various additions that date to 1760-1790 and circa 1854 Real estate agent: Brent Allen, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. & Christies International Advertisement Last sold date/price: According to Allen, a memorandum that dates to April 9th, 1956, written by Richard D. Weigel who at the time was the president of St. Johns College, states that [the current owner] had agreed to pay $25,000 for the property. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 7 The exterior of 4 bedroom, 3 bath home at 139 Market St in Annapolis is brick. (Kim Hairston/The Baltimore Sun ) Daily Top Stories Daily Get the day's top news, sports, opinion, features and local events. > Property size: Georgian-style brick house includes 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. The propertys exterior includes a potting shed, pond, brick privacy wall and off-street parking for two cars. The land was designated on the Stoddert Map of 1718 as Lots 33 and 34. It was originally part of a half-acre parcel owned by the prominent Carroll family in the early 1700s and likely included several outbuildings along with a stable and a smokehouse. The lots have since been subdivided. Unique features: The more than 300-year-old house is one of the most historically and architecturally important buildings in Annapolis, according to the Maryland Historical Trust, which notes the building provides a timeline of interior architectural designs and styles. The architect is unknown but the house was built in several phases, with the original construction dating to around 1718-1725. The central entry door leads into a wide hall off of which open the 2 front rooms, the living and dining room. The hall floor boards measure between 6 and 8 inches and run the east-west width of the house, according to a survey of the property recorded at the Maryland Historical Trust. It adds that the house provides an instructive experience for the architectural historian. The interior features some original and some reproduction details, including original wide wood floors, original Georgian mantel and up to 8 fireplaces. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday he plans to launch a promotional campaign aiming to persuade more people to get a booster shot against COVID-19, and also relaunch a lottery to reward people who do opt for the extra shot. And even as Republicans in the House of Delegates sent a letter Tuesday to the state superintendent of schools and the State Board of Education calling for an end to the masking mandate in schools, Hogan did not specifically say he wanted an end to mandatory masking in schools, as is being done in several other states, citing his lack of authority. Advertisement The Republican governor, however, touted Marylands high vaccination rate compared to other states and dropping cases of COVID-19, numbers that could support such action. And he insisted boosters are a key method to keep people safe and to relieve still overwhelmed hospitals, where the majority of patients are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. Advertisement We do know protection wanes over time and no one should consider themselves protected if they dont have a booster shot, Hogan said. Cases and hospitalizations have been coming down in Maryland and across the country since hitting their pandemic highs in mid-January, and many health officials believe the surge from the omicron variant will continue to recede into spring. A big concern, and reason for many masking mandates and other measures, was not only to protect individuals but to provide some relief to overwhelmed hospitals, some of which resorted to crisis standards of care. Maryland hospitals reported 1,111 people in their beds Tuesday, a drop of more than two-thirds since the peak, when nearly 3,500 were hospitalized a month ago. There were 738 new infections and 42 deaths reported Tuesday. The statewide positivity rate also has been dropping among those tested for COVID-19 in Maryland, though it remained slightly above 5% Tuesday, a threshold that suggests widespread community transmission. The rate also varies by county. interactive_content Mask mandates in schools and retail establishments and elsewhere have been a political flashpoint, with supporters fearing outbreaks in the classroom and elsewhere and opponents saying such measures infringe on personal rights and harm children. The Democratic governors of Delaware, New Jersey and Oregon announced in recent days they would end school mask mandates sometime in March. Connecticut plans to end its school mandate by the end of February. All four states will allow local school districts to maintain mandates if they choose. Marylands House Republicans argued that cloth masks were ineffective in preventing the spread of COVID-19; that N95 and KN95 masks have not been properly tested in children; and that childrens emotional and cognitive development was at risk from the masks. Advertisement The damage that covering faces does to the development of children is something that we will not fully grasp for many years to come, the letter read. However, there are early indications that masking negatively impacts cognitive development as well as emotional wellbeing neither of which should be sacrificed for a mitigation measure that provides no true health benefit for those children. The letter goes on to call for an end to the face coverings in public schools by eliminating the off ramps put in the current order. Hogan, however, cited lawsuits in Virginia filed against the new governor, Glenn Youngkin, when he lifted school mask mandates on his first day. Hogan said he didnt have the authority to order the state school board to lift its mandate but would instead make a recommendation. He didnt spell out any specifics of that recommendation. The change may take an act of the legislature, which approved a statewide school mask mandate in January after a vote from the state school board in December. The measure was intended to last through the school year but allowed students to go without masks if spread of the virus in their county was moderate or if vaccination rates were above 80% in the school or the surrounding community. The state vaccination rate among kids has lagged that of adults. Hogan touted the adult rate milestone Tuesday. He reported 95% of those 18 and older had at least one shot. Advertisement About 82% of children aged 12 to 17 in the state overall have received at least one shot, but only about 42% of those aged 5 to 11 have gotten at least one since they became eligible in November, according to state data. Rates in each county vary. Some public health officials have said that they supported mandates in schools to ensure a high compliance rate with the safety measure. But more recently many have said they also support ending the mandates when conditions improved. Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos, a Johns Hopkins pulmonologist who treats COVID-19 patients, said he could support lifting mandates if conditions such as low community transmission were met and if schools had the ability to change course if there are outbreaks. I dont mind as long as the schools have the flexibility to react in real time, if there is say a super-spreading event, he said. Mandates never take the place of active engagement and apply in real time. Breaking News Alerts As it happens When big news breaks in our area, be the first to know. > Since vaccines, and now boosters, have been widely available, Hogan has pushed for more shots. But booster shots have lagged. As we achieve another incredible vaccine milestone, I want to thank all the health care heroes we honor this week who have made this possible, Hogan said in a statement. While we will continue to work to reach that last 5% of adults, we are just as focused on getting more Marylanders boosted to maximize protection against the virus and its variants. Advertisement State data shows the state has given out about nearly 2.1 million booster shots, or enough for about a third of the population. Public health officials say boosters can help stave off a case of COVID-19. With many breakthrough infections after vaccinations, the boosters also help prevent severe infections requiring hospitalization. Hogans new campaign will involve calls and text messages about the availability of booster shots at hundreds of locations around the state. With the demand for testing dropping since the holidays, Hogan said some of the locations at hospitals would turn their focus to the boosters. He also said the lottery would run for 12 weeks, beginning with a $500,000 prize through a random drawing Feb. 15. Everyone boosted in the state at any time is automatically entered in the drawing. Baltimore Sun reporter Pamela Wood contributed to this article. In the last week the number of people with COVID-19 in Anne Arundel County has fallen 50% and county schools have fewer than 300 cases between students and teachers, down from more than 1,000 at the end of January. With Oregon, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware lifting mask requirements for students, the question is being raised in Maryland as the spread of COVID in the community decreases. Advertisement County Health Officer Nilesh Kalyanaraman said they have vaccinations and oral treatments available for COVID and are through the surge in cases fueled by the omicron variant, but the level of spread in the community is still fairly significant. [ Where do school mask mandates stand in Maryland? Heres what you need to know. ] We are moving in the right direction and these questions are coming up right now, which is entirely appropriate, he said during a news conference Tuesday. Advertisement In August, the Maryland State Board of Education passed an emergency regulation instituting a mask mandate in schools to slow the spread of COVID-19, and state lawmakers signed off on it in September. In December and January, some adjustments to that rule were made to allow for some districts and individual schools to drop the requirement. Superintendent George Arlotto has said students can stop wearing masks in schools once the county has sustained 14 consecutive days of moderate or low COVID transmission rates, per the Centers for Disease Control. . Or if an individual school has more than 80% of its population vaccinated, masking can end. However Arlotto told the board the system does not have a mechanism to track how many students are vaccinated. He told the board in January that when they are approaching one of those off ramps, he will present the information to the Board of Education to make a decision about operations moving forward. Anne Arundel Countys CDC transmission rate was 150 on Tuesday, classified as high. To be moderate it must drop below 50. During the spike of cases fueled by the omicron variant, that rate hit a peak of 2,156 on Jan. 4. Looking at the CDC website next to the state and countys website will show a big difference in the current case rate per 100,000 people. Anne Arundel County Health Department Director of Communications Megan Pringle said the difference is caused by variation in the way the two agencies calculate their rate. The CDC website calculations use the total number of new cases for the past week, while the county website uses the average number of new cases for the past seven days, she wrote in an email. The rate is different simply because it includes more days, she wrote in an email. In Anne Arundel County 68.5% of the population has been fully vaccinated, according to the state. Only one county is Maryland is above the 80% vaccination threshold Howard County. In a news conference Tuesday, Gov. Larry Hogan addressed the issue of masking in schools. He said it should be up to elected officials in local jurisdictions to make the decision thats right for their constituents, and that he will not ban mask mandates in schools, as Virginia Gov. Glen Youngkin has. Advertisement He said the state Board of Education, which is independent of his administration, reviews masking policies each month. Were going to ask that they do consider making some changes to that at their meeting this month, he said. As other states walk back school mask mandates, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday he lacked the authority to challenge the state Board of Educations policy requiring face coverings in schools. Heres what you need to know about masking requirements in Maryland public schools. Advertisement What are the rules? Generally, anyone in a public school in Maryland must be wearing a mask. The Maryland State Board of Education passed an emergency regulation instituting the mandate in August, and state lawmakers signed off on it in September. Advertisement But the state Board of Education approved an emergency regulation in December that creates an off ramp for school systems to allow students to go without masks. Mandates may be lifted if a countys community spread of COVID-19 is moderate or if vaccination rates are above 80% in the school or the surrounding community. Community transmission is high in every Maryland county, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State lawmakers on the General Assemblys Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review approved the updated regulation on Jan. 5. What are other states doing? The Democratic governors of Delaware, New Jersey and Oregon announced in recent days they would end school mask mandates sometime in March. Connecticut plans to end its school mandate by the end of February. All four states will allow local school districts to maintain mandates if they choose. And in Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order last month making masks optional in schools. A judge temporarily halted the order after several school boards filed challenges. What did Hogan say about the masking regulations? Hogan didnt take a position on students wearing masks last August, saying he would leave it up to local leaders. The Republican governor said Tuesday that he would ask the Maryland Board of Education to consider changes to the school masking regulation at its meeting later this month. He did not elaborate on what changes he would like to see. Advertisement I dont see us taking the kind of action that Gov. Youngkin did, Hogan said at a news conference Tuesday. I dont believe that we have the authority to demand that school boards do what I say. Voters elected them. But were going to certainly weigh in when we think that theyre being too aggressive. What did the State Board of Education say? In response to the governors statement, the Maryland State Board of Education said members are watching with optimism as Covid-19 metrics improve in the State because our goal has been and continues to be to provide safe in person instruction for our children and staff with minimal disruptions. The board reviews COVID-19 metrics at its meetings each month in order to assess the need for such regulations, according to the statement. Our commitment has not changed, the board said in the statement. The emergency regulation does provide research-based off-ramps for local school systems and schools based on vaccination and transmission rates. The board said it will continue to rely on science, research and public health experts, including the CDC and the Maryland Department of Health. Advertisement We look forward to the day when this dark COVID cloud has been mitigated, the board said. We will continue to listen and work with our State and local partners in continuing this work. Is anyone else pushing back against school masking mandates? Masking has become a polarizing issue in many counties and local school systems. Some groups have organized and raised money around the issue or considered legal action. And Maryland House Republicans sent a letter Tuesday to the state superintendent of schools and the state Board of Education calling for an end to the masking mandate in schools. They argued that cloth masks were ineffective in preventing the spread of COVID-19; that KN95 and N95 masks have not been properly tested in children; and that childrens emotional and cognitive development was at risk from the masks. The damage that covering faces does to the development of children is something that we will not fully grasp for many years to come, the letter read. However, there are early indications that masking negatively impacts cognitive development as well as emotional wellbeing neither of which should be sacrificed for a mitigation measure that provides no true health benefit for those children. Advertisement The letter goes on to call for an end to the face coverings in public schools by eliminating the off ramps put in the order. What do the experts say? The CDC recommends universal indoor masking by all students ages 2 years and older as well as employees and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Some public health officials have said that they supported mandates in schools to ensure a high compliance rate with the safety measure. But more recently many have said they also support ending the mandates when conditions improved. Dr. Panagis Galiatsatos, a Johns Hopkins pulmonologist who treats COVID-19 patients, said he could support lifting mandates if conditions such as low community transmission were met and if schools had the ability to change course if there are outbreaks. I dont mind as long as the schools have the flexibility to react in real time, if there is say a super spreading event, he said. Mandates never take the place of active engagement and apply in real time. Advertisement Baltimore Sun reporters Meredith Cohn and Pamela Wood contributed to this article. Maryland Public Defender Paul DeWolfe will retire this summer after more than 12 years at the helm of the state agency charged with providing legal representation to those accused of crimes who cant afford private attorneys. DeWolfes tenure as public defender has seen his administration overhaul the office, persistently battle to maintain staffing to keep up with an ever-increasing caseload and push for criminal justice reform. Advertisement He said he was proud that his administration has built a strong leadership structure, bolstered the offices ranks of social workers and created litigation support divisions to assist trial attorneys. But at 74, and after his second six-year term expires June 30, its time for him to retire rather than apply to keep his post, DeWolfe told The Baltimore Sun. He looks forward to traveling and spending time with grandchildren. Advertisement Maryland Public Defender Paul DeWolfe will retire this summer after 12 years. As a person thats spent his career in courts and the justice system, theres so many things that need to be reformed. Id love to see some of these reforms come about, DeWolfe said in a phone interview, naming sentencing, pretrial and racial justice reform as priorities. I hope that as I leave the agency, Ive left a really strong team in place for whoever takes over next. The Office of the Public Defender is overseen by a Board of Trustees, which appoints the states top public defender. Thirteen practicing lawyers, who serve for three years each, make up the board. The governor appoints 11 members of the board with state Senate advice and consent. Marylands House of Delegates speaker and Senate president each appoint a member of the board. The board has advertised that its seeking DeWolfes successor; applications are due March 1. T. Wray McCurdy, the chairman of the board, couldnt say whether anyone has applied yet. But he expected a deluge of applications, as he believes DeWolfe made being public defender a more desirable position. Hes turned the public defenders office from a group of distinct entities, county by county, and transformed them into a large law firm, McCurdy said. He added that the public defenders office plays a more central role in the criminal justice system than when DeWolfe started. Paul DeWolfe has put the public defender at the table with various states attorneys offices, with the judges, as equal partners. Marci Johnson is the president of the Maryland Defenders Union, the organization created when the public defenders decided to unionize and which is part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. She criticized the Board of Trustees for what she described as a lack of transparency and inclusion in the process for finding a successor to DeWolfe, who has opposed their organization efforts. Hired as Marylands chief public defender in 2009 by a then three-member board of trustees, DeWolfe replaced a predecessor fired after refusing enact cutbacks and change during the Great Recession. He inherited an office with a growing caseload, a shrinking budget and facing a lawsuit seeking to ensure defendants were represented at initial bail hearings in front of court commissioners. DeWolfe agreed defendants needed to be represented at their first appearance and advocated for his office to get more attorneys to fill that role. However, the legislature chose to give funding to the judiciary, which set up a program to pay private attorneys to represent defendants at first appearances. Advertisement It was a win in that the right to counsel was affirmed, DeWolfe said. But there are still too many people held without bail and reform needs to move forward. Doug Colbert, a University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law professor, helped bring the lawsuit that led to the Court of Appeals ruling that found defendants are entitled to legal representation at initial bail hearings. He credited DeWolfe for recognizing and supporting the merits of the case, but said the public defender wasnt a strong enough advocate. Many times, I felt like Paul wanted to do more, but he often would measure his words when he testified in Annapolis, Colbert said. Its understandable; its a very challenging job. Paul was limited by the different constituencies who are responsible for funding, who are responsible for hiring more lawyers. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > Johnson, who wrote about DeWolfes retirement in an opinion piece last month on the Maryland Matters website, said in an interview that she wished him well but the public defenders union will look for more support from his successor. We are hoping for a new public defender who will not only be supportive of our union, but will advocate strongly, not only for the needs of our clients, but for the people who work in the public defenders office, Johnson said. Were looking for someone to have a commitment to whats supposed to be our mission for justice, fairness and dignity for all, including the workers in the public defenders office. DeWolfe said he the office under his leadership pushed to change a cash bail system, prevented defendants from being sentenced to death years before capital punishment was abolished in Maryland, and argued for the release of people who were sent to prison before they turned 18 after they served 20 years. Advertisement Building on that model, wed love to see sentencing reform so that people who have served a certain amount of time in prison or are of a certain age could get a second look to possibly be released, DeWolfe said. Before taking on the statewide role, DeWolfe was the top public defender in Montgomery County. In that role, he represented sniper John Allen Muhammad, who carried out a series of killings over three weeks in 2002 in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., before Muhammad chose to defend himself in court. Douglas Gansler, a former Democratic state attorney general whos running for governor, was the Montgomery County states attorney whose office prosecuted Muhammad. He said DeWolfe maintained credibility with judges and prosecutors by not losing sight of the facts of the cases while advocating strongly for his clients. That approach translated well to his role at the statewide level, Gansler said. He has a very soft voice, but he speaks very loudly on behalf of the people who need it most in the Maryland criminal justice system.